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Typical View on the Lower Illinois River. 



REPORT OF THE 



Rivers and Lakes Commission 



ON 



The Illinois River and Its Bottom 

Lands 

With Reference to the Conservation of 



Agriculture and Fisheries and the Control of Floods 




BY 

JOHN W. ALVORD and CHARLES B. BURDICK, 

Consulting Engineers 



[Printed by authority of the State of Illinois.] 



(** 



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Springfield^ III. 

Illinois State Journal Co., State Printers. 

19 15 



D. of D. 
MAR 27 1916 



s!C'3l3 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



PART I. PAGE. 

Summarized Findings and Conclusions 11 

PART II. 

The Illinois River Watershed and Its Hydro-Geology 19 

General Description and Size of Watershed— The River Bottoms — Geologj\ 

PART III. 

Flow and Gage Heights — Dams — Submerged Lands 24 

Prevailing Gage Heights — Natural Flow— Flow of Chicago Drainage Canal — 
Navigation Dams — Survey of 1902-1904 — Submerged Lands. 

PART IV. 
Agriculture 54 

Growth of Agriculture — Growth of Levee Districts — Principal Data of Levee 
Districts — Investigation of Districts and Levees — Productivity of Agricultural 
Lands. 

PART V. 

Fisheries 64 

Growth in Production — Fish Prices — Factors Affecting the General Welfare of 
Fishes — Fish Yield by Districts — Possibilities of Fish Culture compared 
with Illinois River Yields. 

PART VI. 

Past and Future Floods 84 

Flood of 1904— Flood of 1844— Flood of 1913— Probable Floods of the Future- 
Flood Rates on other Streams — Artificial and Natural Conditions Affecting 
Flood Rates — Comparison by Ratios— Fuller's Formula Applied to Ratios — 
Conclusions as to Flood Rates. 

PART VII. 

Future Flood Heights 102 

Computed Flood Profiles — Values in Flow Formula During Flood of 1904 — 
Effect of Trees on Flood Values — Values in Flow Formula During Flood of 
1913 — Flow Values Used in Computations — Flow Values Observed on Other 
Rivers — Estimate of Future Flood Heights — Proper Levee Heights. 

PART VIII. 

Discussion of Remedies 113 

General Principles — Flood Abatement by Storage — Tendency of Levees to Increase 
Flow Rates — The Future River Valley — Effect of Storage on Flow — Proper 
Levee Heigts without Storage — Proper Levee Heights with Apex Storage — 
Bases of Comparison — New Expenditures with High Levees and No Storage — 
New Expenditures with Storage — Comparative Income and Expense — Other 
Considerations— Effect of Waterway Projects — Increased Width between 
Levees — Storage in the Tributaries — Flood Protection Conclusion — Best Use 
of Remaining Lakes and Lands — Inclosure of Meandered Lakes — Clean Banks 
— Game, Fishing and Hunting — Cooperation with the Sanitary District — 
Acknowledgement. 

PART IX. 

Appendix 136 

Report of the Rivers and Lakes Commission to the Governor and Attorney Gen- 
eral on Thompson Lake. Recommendations of the Commission Regarding 
the Removal of Dams. 



ILLUSTRATIONS. 



PART I. 
Typical View on the Lower Illinois River Frontispiece 

FIGURE 

NO. PART II. PAGE. 

1. Map — Watershed of the Illinois River 2 



PART III. 

2. Profiles of Water Levels and River Bottom 27 

3. Diagram — Prevailing Gage Heights at Various Places 27 

4. Diagram — Gage Heights at Grafton, LaGrange and Peoria and Hydrograph 

at Peoria 29 

5. Map of Illinois — Average Annual Precipitation 36 

5A. Views of LaGrange Lock and Dam 39 

6. Map — Illinois River and Flood Plain below LaSalle 

7. Diagram — Prevailing Heads at Navigation Dams 41 

8. Diagram — Head at Dams and Rise of Tail Water 42 

9. Diagram — Rating Curves 45 

10. Profile — Normal Relations of Water Elevations 

11. Diagram — Acres Submerged — Kampsville Dam to Mouth of River 46 

12. Diagram — Acres Submerged — Mile 52.39 to Kampsville Dam 47 

13. Diagram — Acres Submerged — LaGrange Dam to Mile 52.39 48 

14. Diagram — Acres Submerged — Mile 108.63 to LaGrange Dam 49 

15. Diagram — Acres Submerged — Copperas Creek Dam to Mile 108.63 50 

16. Diagram — Acres Submerged — Peoria, Lower Bridge to Copperas Creek Dam. . . 51 

17. Diagram — Acres Submerged — Henry Dam to Peoria Lower Bridge 51 

18. Diagram — Acres Submerged — LaSalle to Henry Dam 51 

19. Diagram — Acres Submerged — LaSalle to Mouth 51 

PART IV. 

20. View of New Levee Showing Extreme Irregularity of much of the Dipper Work . . 55 

21. Map — Growth of Levee District 56 

21A. View within the Levees Showing a Newly Reclaimed District 56 

22. Map — River Bottoms and Levee Districts 59 

23. Profile — Elevation of Levees 59 

23A. View of Typical Pumping Station 60 

PART V. 

24. Diagram — Growth and Decline of Fish Catch on Illinois River 67 

25. Diagram— Annual Yield of Fishes on Illinois River 1894-1908 67 

25A. View of Fish Market at Havana 68 

26. Diagram — Relation of Fish Yield to Water Acreages 78 



ILLUSTRATIONS— Concluded. 

FIGURE PART VT. 

NO . PAGE . 

27. Diagram— Profiles of 1904 Flood 87 

28. Diagram — Relation between Drainage Area and Flood Flows 93 

PART VII. 

29. Map — Extent of Timber in Bottom Lands — Pearl to LaG range 107 

30. Map — Extent of Timber in Bottom Lands — Beardstown to Havana 107 

31. Map— Rainfall Contours— March 17, to April 1, 1904 109 

32. Map— Rainfall Contours— March 20, to 27, 1913 109 

33. Diagram — Observed and Computed Flood Profiles Ill 

34. Diagram — Elevation of Levees Compared with Observed and Computed Flood 

Profiles.' Ill 

PART VIII. 

35. Diagram — Effect of River Valley Storage on Flood Rate at Kampsville Dam. . 115 

36. Map — Levee Districts Built and Proposed 

37. Diagram — Storage in Levee Districts 1 17 

38. Diagram — Relation of Flow Storage and Gage Height — At and Above Peoria . . 119 

39. Diagram — Relation of Flow Storage and Gage Height at and Above LaGrange 

Dam 121 

40. Diagram — Suggestion for Compromise Levees near Navigable Lakes 130 

41. View of River Banks at Recent Moderate Water Stages showing the Dead and 

Decayed Land Vegetation 133 



TABLES. 



TABLE PART III. 

NO . PAGE . 

1. List of Gages on Illinois and Des Plaines Rivers 24 

2. Flow of Illinois River at Peoria— 1890 to 1900. 30 

3. Summarized Flow of Illinois River at Peoria— 1890-1899 32 

4. Monthly Discharge of Illinois River at Peoria— 1903-1906 33 

5. Flow of Des Plaines River above Riverside 34 

6. Comparison of Run-off, Des Plaines and Illinois River 34 

7. Summary of Rainfall and Run-off Data in Illinois 35 

8. Flow of Chicago Drainage Canal, 1900-1914. '.37 

9. Data on Navigation Dams 40 

10. Land Overflowed Before and After Construction of Levee Districts as Existing or 

Under Construction in 1914 53 

PART IV. 

11. Principal Data of Levee Districts 58 

PART V. 

12. Total Fish Catch— Illinois River— 1894-1908 65' 

13. Statistics of Fisheries — Illinois River State of Illinois, and United States for 1908 . . 66 

14. Total Fish Catch— Havana Market 66 

15. Yearly Averages of German Prices for Carp — 1891-1905 68 



TABLES— Concluded. 

TABLE 

NO. PAGE. 

16. Wholesale Prices for Carp in Berlin for 1909 68 

17. Catch Value and Price Paid to Fishermen in Illinois 69 

18. Wholesale and Retail Prices for Carp— 1908-1913 69 

19. Comparative Statistical Data, Illinois Fisheries 74 

20. Acreage in Lakes in Virgin Valley and Subsequent to Construction of Levee Dis- 

tricts 79 

21. Fish Shipped from Illinois River , 80 

22. Yield of Illinois River Fisheries in 1908 81 

23. Summarized Data on Fish Yields in Foreign Countries 82 

24. Financial Statement of a German Pond Fishery 83 

PART VL 

25. Highest Water in Each Year at Salient Places 85 

26. Greatest Measured Flows— Flood of 1904 ? 86 

27. Estimated Maximum Flow— Flood of 1904 88 

28. Maximum Flood Flows on Streams in and Adjacent to Illinois 92 

29. Maximum Flood Rates on all Streams of United States having Record of 10 Years 

or More 95 

30. Relation between Probable Future Floods and Average Yearly Flood 99 

31. Comparison of Flood Ratios at Peoria 99 

32. Flood Expectation in Various Periods , 100 

PART VII. 

33. Values in Flow Formula During Bank-Full Conditions 103 

34. Values in Flow Formula During Flood of 1904. : 105 

35. Effect of Trees and Brush on Flood Flow Values 106 

36. Relative Importance of Timber on a Leveed Reach 107 

37. Values in Flow Formula During Flood of 1913 108 

38. "C" and "N" Values on Various Rivers 110 

PART VIII. 

39. Storage Required to Reduce Flood Rates at Peoria 120 

40. Costs and Benefits of Two Plans for Flood Protection 125 

41. List of Meandered Lakes Claimed by the Rivers and Lakes Commission to be 

Public Waters 131 

42. Claims against Sanitary District on Account of Damage from Overflow 133 



PREFACE. 

On March 14, 1914, the Bivers and Lakes Commission was called 
into a conference with Governor Edward P. Dunne, the Fish and Game 
Conservation Commission, representatives of the State Water Survey, 
Biological Department of the State University, and the Agricultural 
Department of the State University, to discuss the importance of prob- 
lems growing out of the varied and conflicting interests in and to the 
Illinois Eiver and its valley. The matters under consideration at this 
conference were the preservation of the public waters of the State, the 
reclamation of submerged lands, the preservation of fish, and future 
flood control. 

As a result of this conference the Bivers and Lakes Commission 
employed Messrs. Alvord and Bur dick, civil engineers, to make a survey 
and study of the Illinois Biver and Valley, compile the facts and report 
to this commission. This report has been put in printed form for circu- 
lation. We believe it contains such necessary information as will enable 
the Executive and Legislative departments of the State to adopt a policy 
that will prevent conflict between public interests and private interests 
and at the same time protect both. 

The Illinois Biver furnishes from 10,000,000 to 24,000,000 pounds 
of fish per annum, or 10 per cent of the entire fresh water fish caught 
in the United States. After the opening of the Chicago Drainage Canal 
in 1900, due to the increased area of overflowed lands, the fish crop 
increased annually until the year 1908. Since then the yield has been 
falling off. This has been due to the reclamation of large areas of lakes 
and overflowed land by drainage and levee districts. The effect of this 
reclamation work is to confine the flood cross sections of the river and 
materially raise the flood heights. Messrs. Alvord and Burdick have 
presented in the report comprehensive and accurate investigations which 
show the effect of reclamation upon future flood heights and the value 
of conserving the lakes in the river valley for fish breeding and flood 
storage reservoirs. 

Attempts are made by private parties to appropriate meandered or 
navigable lakes in the Illinois Valley which are the public property of 
the State. Acting on the policy outlined by the Legislative Committee 
on Submerged and Shore Lands, which led to the creation of the Bivers 
and Lakes Commission, this commission is now actively engaged in 
preventing such illegal seizure of the lakes in the Illinois Valley and 
conserving them for the use of flood storage, fish production, and the 
recreation of the public. 

Bivers and Lakes Commission, 

Arthur W. Charles, Chairman. 
LeBoy K. Sherman, Commissioner. 
Thomas 'J. Healy, Commissioner. 

Charles Christmann, Secretary. 

905 State Building, Chicago, Illinois. 



PART I. 

FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. 

The Honorable Rivers and Lakes Commission,, State of Illinois. 

Gentlemen : At your request we have made a careful study of the 
somewhat complex problems of the Illinois Eiver relating to the control 
of floods with particular reference to the effect of the extensive reclama- 
tion of farm land within the past ten years and the rise and recent rapid 
decline of the very important inland fishery upon this stream. This 
report concerns principally that part of the river below LaSalle; above 
this place the river is of a different character and the problems con- 
sidered do not exist. 

We take pleasure in reporting to you the result of our study and 
findings as follows: 

THE OBJECT OF THE EEPOET. 

It is the object of this report to answer the following general 
questions : 

1. What future flood rates may reasonably be expected on the Illinois 
Eiver ? 

2. Is the present waterway sufficient to accommodate the future 
floods ? 

3. What interests are affected by the past and probable future 
improvements in the valley? How is each interest affected and what is 
the relative importance of each? 

4. What plan can be followed to correct the deficient waterway and 
to produce a maximum benefit to the local interests and to the public? 

SITMMABIZED CONCLUSIONS AND FINDINGS. 

Hereinafter will be found much of the data upon which the answers 
to these questions must be based. Before, however, -proceeding to discuss 
these matters at length, we would briefly acquaint you with our principal 
findings and recommendations as follows: 

1. Past floods. We conclude that the flood of 1904, which at most 
places upon the river is the greatest flood of recent years reached the rate 
of about 80,000 cubic feet per second at Peoria and 125,000 cubic feet 
per second at the mouth of the river. These rates are equivalent respec- 
tively to 5.94 and 4.48 cubic feet per second per square mile of drainage 
area. 

At nearly all places upon the river the flood of 1844 reached a greater 
height than any flood of record before or since. This flood occurred 
during the maximum flood upon the Mississippi and the water passed 



12 REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 

through a river valley entirely unimproved, very likely a veritable jungle. 
Under all these circumstances, it is questionable if the flow rates in the 
1844 flood very much exceeded. those in 1904. 

2. Future floods. The stream records of the Illinois Eiver, 
although a few records cover 40 to 50 years, are not sufficiently extensive 
to permit the formation of conclusions as to probable future maximum 
flood rates. So far as they are available they would appear to indicate 
that in the course of centuries the flood of 1904 might reasonably be 
expected about once in 50 years. 

We have made a careful study of the great floods upon other rivers. 
It appears that such great floods are due to peculiar combinations of 
circumstances, such as, although infrequent, are likely to happen at any 
time, any place in central North America. The great floods upon the 
average are infrequent, but two great floods may occur in successive years. 

It is our conclusion that the average flood expectancy, about once 
in 50 years, is a flood about 35 per cent greater in rate than the flood 
of 1904: 

We further conclude that it . is wise to protect the valley lands 
against the flood occurring upon the average of once in 50 years, namely, 
a flood about 35 per cent greater in rate than the flood of 1904. 

3. Present waterway. In a state of nature the river in flood 
occupied its entire valley from hills to hills. For many miles in the 
lower river this flood plain averaged 3 miles in width and in the great 
floods from 7 to 9 feet in depth. 

In the lower one-third of the river, farm land levees have reduced 
the width of the flood plain by about 80 per cent and have reduced the 
cross section of the flowing stream in a great flood to about 25 per cent 
of the available cross section of the 1904 flood. 

Although a large part of the flood flow has always passed by way 
of the channel, the velocity being comparatively slow upon the land, it 
is our conclusion that the farm land levees are a menace to themselves, 
in that they have so restricted the flood water channel and are lacking 
in height, generally speaking, to such an extent that they are likely to be 
overtopped in a great flood. As the protection afforded to different 
districts is quite variable, it is evident that the lowest levees will suffer 
first and will tend to protect the higher levees. If all the districts are 
to be protected, however, a greater available flood cross section must be 
provided which may be accomplished in several ways, or the flood rates 
must be reduced through storage. 

4. Interests affected. Although many interests are affected to a 
minor degree, we find that the predominant interests in the river valley 
are agriculture and fishing. There are other important interests at 
Peoria and at a few of the other cities bordering the stream. These 
cities, however, without important exceptions are well above the ordinary 
floods and the municipalities in general are not greatly concerned with 
flood abatement. 

5. Flooded lands. We estimate the total water acreage below 
LaSalle in the flood of 1844 at 397,980 acres. Of this acreage 320,150 
acres, was flooded land. The first total includes 28,490 acres of river 
surface and 49,340 acres of lakes adjoining the river, the river and lakes 
surface being measured at the low water plane in 1901. 



FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. 13 

6. Levee districts. Since 1904 the construction of levees for the 
protection of the bottom lands has proceeded at a rapid rate. At the 
present time nearly all the bottom land below Beardstown has been 
reclaimed. The total leveed lands are estimated at 171,725 acres. These 
lands have been protected from floods at an estimated cost of $5,350,000 
or about $30.00 per acre. The estimated full value of these lands is 
about $19,000,000, an average of about $112 per acre. Much of this land 
is valued at from $125 to $150 per acre. 

Projected levee districts, so far as we can learn, aggregate about 
49,250 acres. 

It is estimated that the leveed lands produce crops to the value of 
$3,000,000 per annum and that when these districts are fully cultivated 
they will be capable of producing $5,000,000 per annum. These figures 
are based upon the crops of recent years at the prices that generally 
prevailed prior to 1913. At recent prices, the yield would be much 
greater. 

It is estimated that with the projected districts completed and fully 
cultivated together with a small acreage upon the higher ground, now 
successfully cropped without levees, the total yield from agriculture will 
be approximately $6,500,000 per year. 

7. Fisheries. Statistics indicate that the fishery of the Illinois 
Eiver is more valuable than any other fresh water river fishery in the 
United States. It is exceeded only by the Great Lakes and the salmon 
industry of the Pacific Coast. The value of the catch to the fishermen 
amounts to 62 per cent of the fish product of the State and 10 per cent 
of the production of the United States. 

The principal statistics of the fishery for the year 1908, according 
to U. S. Census, were as follows : 

Total value of catch ' $860,000 

Value excluding mussel products $721,000 

Persons employed exclusive of shoremen 2,497 

Capital employed $557,000 

8. Game fish and game. The statistics of fisheries do not include 
the fish taken for private use, either by the professional fishermen or 
sportsmen. The Illinois Eiver and its adjacent lakes have long been 
known as the rendezvous for the sportsman in the taking of game fish 
and the shooting of water fowl. Competent local observers estimate that 
the money spent in the local river communities by sportsmen is fully 
equal to that derived from the commercial fishery. While the benefit to 
the State could hardly be measured by this expenditure, it indicates a 
certain value, greater or less in amount, that must be attributed to the 
preservation of the aquatic life of the stream. This use of the stream 
will doubtless increase as the value becomes better known through the 
improved water transportation facilities now shortly to be secured. 

9. Fish prices. The statistics above quoted are based upon the 
average price of about 3 cents per pound to the fishermen. About two- 
thirds of the catch at present is German carp, which sells for 2 to 2% 
cents per pound. Other varieties sell from 5 to 10 cents per pound. 

Carp and other fish return from 12 to 15 cents per pound to the 
fishermen of Europe or four or five times the American price. The time 



14 REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 

will doubtless come when American prices will be more nearly equal to 
those of Europe. At foreign prices the 1908 catch of the Illinois Eiver 
would have amounted to from $3,000,000 to $3,500,000. 

10. Rise and decline of fishery. We find that the annual catch 
upon the Illinois Eiver has gradually increased from about 6,000,000 
pounds in 1894 to 12,000,000 pounds in 1900 and 24,000,000 in 1908. 

No complete statistics are available since 1908, but it is well known 
that the catch has very rapidly decreased within the past five years. The 
statistics at Havana would seem to indicate that the yield at present is 
only about one-third of the banner yield of 1908. 

The great increase is probably largely accounted for by the rapid 
increase of the German carp, which first began to appear in the catch of 
the Illinois Eiver at about the date of the earliest statistics above men- 
tioned. All fish life was undoubtedly stimulated by the increased stages 
of water that have prevailed since 1900. 

The decline since 1908 is probably due to a number of causes 
including the lesser flood stages prevailing in recent years and the large 
number of lakes excluded from the river through the construction of 
agricultural levees shutting off the breeding and feeding grounds of fish 
and the places where the larger part of the seining has been done. About 
17,740 acres in lakes have been enclosed by levees amounting to about 
36 per cent of the original lake acreage. Most of these lakes have been 
enclosed since 1908. 

11. Increased fish yields. We have examined such authentic 
statistics of foreign fisheries as could be found, particularly the statis- 
tics of the German fisheries. 

It is our conclusion that at the present prices of fish and labor, a 
commercial fishery, that is, one in which the fish are bred, fed and sold 
as a distinct business, could not be profitable. 

It would seem, however, that there is prospect of a good profit by 
intelligent fish culture in the ponds and water courses remaining within 
the levee districts, providing that the industry is carried on as an adjunct 
to farming in much the same way that poultry is ordinarily raised upon 
the farm. This would utilize a water acreage that otherwise could pro- 
duce no revenue and could serve no useful purpose except to store the 
flood waters in the course of passage to the drainage ditches. 

12. Permanency of the fishery. If the fishery is to remain 
commercially important, means must be provided to take the place of 
the breeding grounds formerly furnished by the shallow waters of the 
lakes and sloughs which have been reclaimed. 

13. Predominant interest. In the light of the figures before us 
we must conclude that agriculture is the predominant interest of the 
valley, that it now furnishes and will hereafter furnish a much greater 
addition to the wealth of the State than is produced or can probably be 
hereafter produced by the fisheries. In so far as possible, however, both 
interests should be promoted in harmony. 

14. Eeservoirs and fish culture. In Europe, where the flood 
problems and the fisheries have been studied for a longer time than in 
America, the suggestion has been made to promote the fisheries and 
reduce the floods upon the diked rivers by admitting water to certain of 
the leveed districts in rotation during each spring season and allowing 



FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. 15 

the water to return to the stream during the low water season. All this 
with the object of reducing the spring freshets, artificially providing 
overflowed land for the breeding and rearing of young fish and the 
periodical enrichment of the land by the sediments of the flood waters. 
We have endeavored to demonstrate the practicability of such a 
scheme upon the Illinois Eiver. The practicability of this scheme is 
hereinafter discussed in connection with the remedy for floods. 

15. Future floods and present levees. No great flood has 
m occurred upon the river since the occupation of the valley by levees 

approaching the present scale of development. 

The nearest approach to a great flood was the freshet of 1913. 
Although this flood is estimated to have been slightly less in volume than 
the flood of 1904, its elevation in the vicinity of the La Grange Dam, 
near the head of the most extensive levee system, was 3 feet greater than 
the flood of 1904 and substantially the same as the exeremely high 
water of 1844. The levee districts completed since 1913, including those 
now in process of construction, will still further restrict the flood water 
passage. 

16. Great floods in leveed valley. It is estimated that if the 
1904 flood should be repeated under the same conditions of water level 
in the Mississippi, a number of levee districts would be overtopped. 

If this flood should be repeated under the high water conditions in 
the Mississippi that prevailed during the flood of 1844, a large number 
of the agricultural levee districts would be flooded. 

It has been previously concluded that a flood 35 per cent greater 
in rate than the flood of 1904 may reasonably be expected to occur. If 
such a flood should enter the Mississippi at the height of water prevail- 
ing in 1844, more than half of the levee districts would be flooded, and 
under the conditions of levee construction likely to prevail in the future 
nearly all the levee districts would be flooded, and the water would reach 
a height about 5 feet above the high water mark in 1844 in the vicinity 
of the La Grange Dam, with lesser differences up-stream and down- 
stream. 

In reference to the flooding of levee districts it should be noted 
that the lowest levees will be flooded first and to a certain extent will 
serve as safety valves to protect the districts having higher levees. The 
flooding of a large number of districts near the apex of the flood will 
probably arrest the further rise of the water unless the flood is greatly 
prolonged. Therefore, to increase the elevation of the lower levees serves 
to decrease the safety of the high levees until all have been increased to 
such height that a great flood may pass away between the levees. 

17. Levees and flood rates. There is no question but that the 
exclusion of the flood waters from the bottom lands through the construc- 
tion of levees has a tendency to increase the flood run-off rates of a 
stream. We have investigated this matter quite carefully as applied to 
the Illinois Eiver particularly in the measured flood of 1904, assuming 
it to pass through the present levee system. It is estimated, however, 
that the net effect of all the levee districts so far constructed would prob- 
ably increase the maximum flow rate only about 5 per cent and when 
the bottoms are fully leveed about 10 per cent. This rather unexpected 
result is accounted for by the fact that in an excessive flood, such as the 



16 REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 

flood of 1904, the valley is practically filled with water several days before 
the apex of the flood and the maximum flood rate occurs at a time when 
the gage height is nearly stationary for several days both before and after 
the apex. A smaller stream or a more flashy stream would doubtless 
make a better utilization of the storage in its valley. 

18. Apex storage. A much greater effect can be produced in miti- 
gating the floods if certain large reservoirs could be held empty and the 
flood waters only admitted when the flood is approaching maximum rates 
and the water passing into the reservoirs could be regulated so that all 
surplus water above a pre-determined rate could be accommodated. 

We have investigated this proposition and find that in the lower 
river at Kampsville for instance, the flood heights are most largely gov- 
erned by the Mississippi Eiver. In this vicinity storage on the Illinois 
Eiver could accomplish nothing material. The present levee districts are 
not adapted to flooding, but if we should assume that all future levee 
districts, which would be substantially equal in storage volume to the 
districts at present constructed, should be so built and so operated that 
they could be flooded without great damage except the loss of crop when 
flooded, then we estimate that there would be about 850,000 acre-feet of 
storage above the La Grange Dam, which if used to the best advantage, 
would reduce the flood flow rate about 25 per cent at Beardstown, making 
a difference in the height of the water of about 3.4 feet. 

A similar estimate at Peoria indicates that through storage it 
would be theoretically possible to reduce a great flood about 2!/2 feet. 

It is our conclusion that storage as above outlined would be effect- 
ive in reducing the flood heights in amounts varying from practically 
zero at the Kampsville Dam to about 3% feet at Beardstown and 2% 
feet at Peoria. 

19. Increased floodway. In general there are three ways to 
increase the available prism for the passage of floqd waters. 

The width of the flood stream may be increased by setting the 
levees back a greater distance from the river bank. We find that this 
remedy is impracticable on account of cost except where new levees are 
to be built. We recommend, where levees are built upon both sides of 
the river at any place above the junction of the Sangamon, that the 
distance from center to center of levees, measured across the river, be 
not less than 1,200 feet and where reasonably possible 2,000 feet. Below 
the Sangamon the land is nearly all leveed. 

The flood water prisan might also be increased by lowering the bed 
of the river, as might be accomplished in the construction of a deep 
waterwav. In our opinion, dredging operations undertaken especially 
for this purpose would be too costly as compared to other remedies. So 
far as we can determine, none of the projects for improved navigation 
would affect the flood water levels any sufficient amount to be of material 
benefit. 

20. Higher levees. It is our opinion that the available cross sec- 
tion for flood waters can be most economically enlarged by increasing 
the height of the levees. It seems to us that the circumstances warrant 
the building of levees to a height about 3 feet above a great flood, assum- 
ing it to enter the Mississippi River at about the height of the flood of 
1844. The excess height of levees is recommended to provide for wave 



FINDINGS AND KECOMMENDATIONS. 17 

wash and in emergency as a small factory of safety to prevent disaster 
in case of a greater flood. It is believed that in the protection of these 
farm lands, the danger from loss of life is small and, therefore, that it 
is not wise to provide against a flood of extremely rare occurrence or to 
provide a factor of safety that would be justified in the protection of a 
city where great loss of life might result from the unexpected. 

To comply with the above recommendation, the higher levees at 
present would be increased from 2 to 3 feet. The lowest of the levees 
lie about 6 feet below what we regard as a desirable elevation. As nearly 
as we can estimate from rather incomplete data, the cost of bringing all 
the present levees up to the desirable plane would be about $2,532,000. 
The total expenditure, including this item and also the total cost of all 
future levee districts, is estimated at about $8,154,300. 

21. Levee heights with storage. If all future levee districts 
should be so built that they might be utilized for storage of the apex 
flood waters, the necessary levee heights in the upper three-quarters of 
the river could be reduced from 2 to 3 feet, but this would still require 
that nearly all the levees should be increased in height at a total esti- 
mated cost of about $1,592,000. The total expenditure, including this 
item and also the total cost of all future levee districts, is estimated at 
$5,389,000. 

22. Revenues compared. We have carefully considered the relative 
merits of the above suggested means for relieving the flood situation and 
the promoting of fisheries, particularly as to the practicability of using 
storage reservoirs for these purposes. 

Giving the storage proposition the benefit of all the doubts includ- 
ing the practicability of manipulating the reservoirs during the flood 
and the benefit accrued to the fisheries, we estimated that the largest 
financial return to the community will be effected through the utilization 
of the bottom-lands for agriculture and increasing the height of levees 
such an amount as is necessary to protect the lands. 

23. Means of accomplishment. It would seem proper that the 
additional levee protection should be affected by private enterprise. 

It is; believed to be the duty of the State, however, to advise the 
land owners as to conditions and through the Rivers and Lakes Commis- 
sion to regulate future constructions or alterations in present levees, so 
far as the powers of the commission extend. Advice to the land owners 
is the proper function of the State, for no individual land owner is in a 
position to determine these facts for himself. 

It is not probable that all the districts can profitably increase their 
levees to the recommended height, for some of the small districts, par- 
ticularly those not equipped with farm improvements and public improve- 
ments, would be injured in case of flood only to the extent of a lost crop 
and repairs to the levee system. Such districts might better suffer the 
loss from the occasional flood than to protect against the indefinite future. 
The proper course in this matter will be determined by the value of the 
crops and improvements and the frequency of the floods. The decision 
of a particular district will not affect the community outside the district 
except where there might be danger to life. 

— 2 R L 



18 REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 

24. Promotion of fisheries. The predominance of the agricul- 
tural interest does not require that the fisheries of the Illinois Eiver 
should be abandoned. 

It is believed, notwithstanding the levee districts present and 
future, that a scientific utilization of the remaining public waters, 
including the river and twenty or more meandered lakes together with 
the best use of the remaining undiked bottoms and the spaces between 
the river banks and levee toes, will result in the maintenance of a valuable 
fishery. 

We recommend that the State Laboratory of Natural History be 
empowered to investigate and determine the best means for promoting 
the fishery interests in the public waters and the adjacent undiked lands. 
We should hope that a practicable program might be worked out that 
would permit of great help to the fisheries and at the same time provide 
game and fish preserves, usable by the public under proper restriction. 

We understand that the damage claims, filed against the Sanitary 
District up to December 31, 1912, for flowage damage to land below 
TJtica, amounts to $4,539,980, and that additional claims not yet filed 
will raise this total to about eight million dollars. The last named figure 
is equivalent to about fifty-four dollars per acre of land outside of the 
levees, and below the flood plane of 1844. 

Although these claims are no doubt excessive, it would seem, as 
has been suggested, that if a working arrangement could be devised, the 
State might profitably combine with the Sanitary District in the pur- 
chase of some of these lands. 

In view of the large expenditures made by our cities for park 
purposes and the expenditures of the national government in the preser- 
vation of the national parks, it would seem that there is a field for 
profitable investments by the State, which wisely administered would 
accrue to the great benefit of the commercial fishery and to the people 
of the State. 

We have endeavored above to briefly outline our principal conclusions 
and findings. In the body of the report which follows will be found a 
full discussion of these matters and much of the original data upon 
which the discussion and conclusions are based. 



PART II. 

DESCRIPTION OF ILLINOIS, RIVER— ITS WATERSHED AND 
HYDRO-GEOLOGY. 

In many respects the Illinois River is one of the most remarkable 
streams in the United States. Its past importance as an avenue of 
water commerce, the possibilities of its future in this respect, its fresh 
water fisheries, its use as the main sewer, so to speak, of the second city 
in the country, and more recently, the agricultural development on its 
bottom lands through the construction of levees, all have led to perhaps 
more thorough studies, with various objects in view than has been 
received by any other of our rivers. 

The Illinois River is formed by the junction of the Des Plaines 
and Kankakee Rivers, 273 miles by river from its mouth at Grafton. It 
flows nearly west 62 miles to the Great Bend near Hennepin, and thence 
pursues its course nearly south, 211 miles, to its junction with the Mis- 
sissippi. Its watershed, estimated at 27,914 square miles, lies principally 
within the State. The upper waters of the Des Plaines and Fox Rivers 
drain 1,080 square miles in Wisconsin, and the headwaters of the 
Kankakee furnish the outlet for 3,207 square miles in Indiana. 

The principal tributaries are the Kankakee, 5,146 square miles, the 
Des Plaines, 1,392 square miles, the Fox, 2,700 square miles, and the 
Vermillion, 1,317 square miles, all joining the upper river above Henne- 
pin. Below the Great Bend the Illinois receives the Mackinaw, 1,217 
square miles, Spoon River, 1,817 square miles, the Sangamon, 5,670 
square miles, and Crooked Creek, 1,385 square miles. The remaining 
watersheds are small, none exceeding 1,000 square miles. About two- 
thirds of the tributary watershed lies to the southeast. In the lower 60 
miles no important drainage reaches the stream from the west, the 
dividing line between the Illinois and the Mississippi which here flow 
in parallel courses, lies not more than ten miles westward. 

The greater part of the drainage area is a typical Mississippi valley 
prairie region. The slopes are flat to the north and east, but become 
more rolling in the lower half of the watershed. The soil is a rich black 
loam 1 to 4 feet in thickness, very largely underlaid with boulder clay. 

The upper waters of the Fox River serve a poorly drained lake 
region, largely in Wisconsin, and more than half of the Kankakee water- 
shed comprises the marsh region of northern Indiana, at this time 
partially but not completely drained and reclaimed. The dividing ridge 
of the basin ranges in elevation from 700 to 1,000 feet above the sea, 
and the river itself ranges from 499 feet at its head to 412 feet at its 
mouth. 

THE RIVER BOTTOMS. 

From the head of the river, to La Salle, a distance of 50 miles, the 
fall of the stream is comparatively rapid, dropping about 53 feet. The 

19 



20 REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 

stream is flanked on either side by bluff's or sharply rising ground 
nowhere more than two miles apart, and narrowing to about one-quarter 
of a mile near Seneca. The bottom lands are comparatively high, and 
in general rise toward the base of the bluffs. High water is of com- 
paratively short duration, and it does not prove advisable to dike the 
farm land. 

Below La Salle the conditions are quite different. In 223 miles, the 
fall is only 33 feet, and for the first 80 miles only 6 feet. As in the upper 
river, the bottoms are flanked by bluffs or hills, but the flood plain is 
wider, ranging from iy 2 to 3 miles above Peoria, 3 to 5 miles near 
Havana, and 6 to 7 miles near Beardstown, at the mouth of the Sanga- 
mon Eiver. In the lower 60 miles, the bottom lands are generally 3 to 
4 miles in width. From La Salle to the Mississippi, the bottom land 
subject to flood aggregates about 400,000 acres or 620 square miles. The 
immediate banks of the stream are nearly everywhere higher than the 
bottoms further inland, gradually falling away to lakes, ponds, and 
marshes near the foot of the bluffs. Some exceptions to this rule are 
found at the deltas of the larger tributaries. 

In the upper river as far south as Beardstown, the river banks lie 
generally from 7 to 12 feet above low water, averaging about 10 feet. The 
lakes, many of them quite large, are connected with the river at low or 
medium stages of water and lie at approximately the same elevation as the 
river, rising and falling with it. The low water connection is always 
at the foot of the lake. At moderate stages of flood they are connected 
with the river at their upper ends also, the lakes receiving and carrying 
a portion of the flood flow in its passage down the valley, and also 
acting as storage reservoirs, tending to reduce the maximum flow rate 
of the flood. In the lower river below Beardstown, the immediate banks 
of the stream are higher, the filling of the bottom lands has progressed 
further, and the lakes are smaller, many of them lying 10 feet or more 
above low water in the main stream. They are thus only invaded by 
river stages considerably above normal. 

The course of the river is unusually direct, the filling of the flood 
plain having been insufficient to induce the tortuous courses of the Mis- 
sissippi and like streams. Throughout the greater part of its length, 
particularly in the lower 60 miles, the stream follows the base of the 
western hills, with occasional diversions toward the center of the valley 
where the stream has been pushed outward by the deposit at the mouth 
of an important tributary. 

Throughout its course the low water banks of the stream are 
thickly overgrown with trees and brush, and in the lower reaches of the 
river particularly, the bottoms are veritable jungles of trees, shrubs and 
climbing vines. In its natural state all ground within a few feet of the 
low water line in river and lakes was thus thickly overgrown, the only 
open places being the lakes and ponds and their low lying borders sub- 
merged for a large part of the year, and during the low water season 
covered with swamp grass and rushes. 

GEOLOGY. 

The geological history of the Illinois Eiver is instructive. It serves 
to show the reasons governing the peculiarities of the river bottom topo- 



















^ .M> t 









































L 



GENERAL DESCRIPTION. 21 

graphy, indicates tendencies still operative but somewhat modified, and 
materially assists in final conclusions as to what future floods may be 
expected, through comparison with other streams upon which longer flow 
records are available. It serves to indicate why some excessive flood 
rates are not applicable to the Illinois. 

The territory drained by the Illinois is almost entirely within the 
area of glaciation. From the headwaters to Peoria, the glacial debris 
belongs to the Wisconsin period. From Peoria to the southern line 
of Pike County, the drift is Illinoisan capped by loess, a fine-grained 
clay-like formation. From this place southward the drainage area is 
quite small, especially to the west of the river where the area is ungla- 
ciated, but the surface is largely covered by loess. To the east there is 
a moderate amount of drift also capped by loess. This visit of the 
glaciers has had a very marked effect upon the character of the present 
streams draining the region of their occupation, and the watershed of 
the Illinois River is principally characteristic of the glacial epoch. The 
depth of the glacial debris overlying rock except in exceptional instances, 
varies from 20 feet to several hundred feet, the latter depth of covering 
predominating. 

It is well known that when materials are eroded by flowing water, 
the heavier particles are dropped first and the lighter materials are 
carried longer distances. Thus, in the valley of the Mississippi River, 
the upper portion of its ancient channel is paved with coarse sand and 
gravel. Further southward in Illinois, Iowa and Missouri, the deposits 
are finer, coarse gravel being scarce. Sand where found is usually 
coarse to the northward, and becomes finer to the southward. In the 
lower river, the later deposits are of finely divided clay, and at New 
Orleans, for nearly all the year, the water is charged with clay particles 
so fine that many weeks of settling are required to deposit them. The 
water has rid itself of sands and gravels except in the greatest floods. 

Similar facts are observable in the territory occupied by the glaciers. 
The rocks over which they moved were worn, scraped and broken, 
resulting in debris varying from the largest boulders to finely divided 
dust. The melting waters took up these materials, transported them 
under and through the ice, and upon emerging, first deposited the 
boulders, then the gravel, then the coarse sand, then the fine sand, and 
lastly the more finely divided clay. Likewise where the glaciers rested 
for long periods, in their recession the melting waters deposited all 
kinds of debris which were washed over by the melting of the ice further 
north, and the materials were sorted in the order above described, the 
coarser materials in the north and the finer materials in the south. 

This sorting of the glacial debris is the principal cause of marked 
differences in the flow characteristics of the streams in the northern 
United States. In the north in Wisconsin and Michigan, and parts of 
New York and New England, the sands and gravels predominate. A 
large part of the rainfall is absorbed by the soil where it is stored and 
given up again to the streams with relative uniformity throughout the 
year. Streams are thus produced that yield annually 50 per cent of 
the rainfall, or 15 to 20 inches per year, and further, by reason of the 
ground storage, the flow is constant and of relatively large volume in 
the driest seasons. 



22 REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 

Further south in Illinois, Iowa and in northern Indiana, the sand 
and gravel is largely confined to narrow belts in the valleys of the water 
courses, and nearly all the streams drain regions where clay largely 
predominates, and although clay will absorb a large amount of water, it 
does so only slowly and gives it up with such reluctance that even the 
larger streams cease to flow in the dry seasons. The surface, although 
for the most part well drained, is relatively flat. The water remains for 
a long time upon the surface ; the absorption is high and as it cannot be 
drained to the streams, is largely absorbed by luxuriant vegetation. The 
flood rate is mitigated by the storage in the wide, flat bottom lands, over 
which although the water is in transit and ultimately drains away, it 
moves but slowly. All this results in streams that naturally deliver not 
more than 25 or 30 per cent of the rainfall, or 7 to 15 inches per year. 

The Illinois and its tributaries are of this character. The flat 
prairie lands are thoroughly saturated in the spring and give up the 
water stored only to the roots of vegetation. The immediate run-off in 
great storms is high, but is slow in its passage through the principal 
arteries of drainage. Thus, we have streams of small annual run-off s, 
extremely small summer flows, and flood flows' intermediate between 
those of the sand and gravel watersheds of Wisconsin and Michigan, and 
the unglaciated or slightly glaciated regions of Kentucky, southern 
Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and generally in the southeastern states. 

These characteristics of regional streams should be kept in mind in 
examining the data hereinafter presented upon the flood flows of the 
eastern United States as bearing upon the probabilities in the Illinois 
River. They serve to explain the improbability upon the one hand of 
the extremely high run-off rates of the Ohio and Pennsylvania streams, 
and upon the other hand, the extremely small flood run-off s from some 
of the watersheds in northern Michigan and Wisconsin. Upon the 
Illinois Eiver proper, and indeed upon some of its tributaries, storage is 
a predominating influence and serves to reduce the flood flow rates very 
near to that of the rivers draining the coarse glacial drifts. 

For an explanation of the topography of the present river valley, 
we are also indebted to the research of the geologists. The sharp dis- 
tinctions between the physical features above and below the Great Bend 
near Hennepin are explained by the very different geological history of 
these two reaches of the stream. The lower Illinois from the Bend 
southward occupies its pre-glacial channel which formed a drainage 
outlet for a very much larger area than now drains through this portion 
of the river. There is circumstantial evidence that the Rock River, now 
a tributary of the Mississippi at one time entered the Illinois near the 
Great Bend, and was subsequently diverted by glacial action. This 
enlarged drainage area and the great volumes of water that poured from 
the glaciers serve to account for the wide and deep river valley that was 
excavated. In places, the prehistoric stream reached a width not less 
than 15 miles. 

The present valley from the Great Bend east is of more recent 
origin and owes its existence to its temporary occupancy by the drainage 
from the glacial Lake Chicago. As stated by Leverett : 

"This portion of the Illinois Valley, although of post-Wisconsin age, has 
a channel more than a mile in average width and nearly 100 feet in average 
depth. Yet at present it is the line of discharge for an area of only 12,000 



GENERAL DESCRIPTION. 23 

square miles. The influence of the waters discharged from the Lake Chicago 
and also from the lobes north and east of the Kankakee is plainly shown in 
the great size of this valley." 

In the escape of these waters it was necessary to cut through a 
glacial moraine near Marseilles, which for a considerable time, no doubt, 
impounded a large lake in that part of the river adjacent to Morris. 
Below the Marseilles moraine, the channel was cut to a depth of 50 to 
75 feet, and is still cutting, the river running upon a rock bottom. 

The great quantities of debris brought down by the glacial floods 
were deposited in the wide and deep valley of the lower Illinois; also 
no doubt the scour from the cutting in the upper Illinois. The recession 
of the glaciers and the resulting diminished floods, particularly the 
new outlet formed for the Great Lakes waters at Niagara, a compara- 
tively recent geological event, so greatly diminished the water supply 
that the filling of the lower Illinois valley was not so far advanced as- 
other streams of the Middle West, and it remains today only partially 
filled, with the thread of the stream running substantially straight in 
its pre-glacial channel, flanked by numerous lakes and lagoons which 
doubtless would have been largely obliterated but for the important 
changes in water supply heretofore mentioned. 

The building up of the bottoms has continued in recent times and 
is going on today, but the rate of filling is much diminished by the 
decreased water supply, and consists of the finer silt only, which when 
the flood invades the bottom lands, is quickly dropped in the relatively 
still waters and thus accounts for the height of the banks immediately 
adjoining the stream and the general slope of the land away from the 
river bank toward the inland lakes. The filling of the lakes is now very 
slow as much of the water borne material is dropped immediately outside 
the thread of the channel. 

In the upper river, although deposits of considerable magnitude took 
place in the Morris Basin, the more recent period has been one of cutting 
only. The deposits brought down by the tributaries were largely cut 
away in the drainage of the Morris Basin, and on account of the more 
rapid fall in this part of the river, the cutting continues to a relatively 
small extent. In the lower river the cutting is absent and the bottoms 
are building, although slowly by reason of the diminished water supply. 



PART III. 

FLOW AND GAGE HEIGHTS— DAMS— SUBMERGED 

LANDS. 

As would be expected from the topography and geology of the 
drainage basin, the Illinois River is a stream of extremely small natural 
flow in drouth, and on account of its wide bottom lands and the great 
opportunity for flood water storage, the maximum flood discharge is 
relatively small, and the duration of flood conditions is relatively long. 

PREVAILING GAGE HEIGHTS. 

Gage records of water stage are recorded at numerous places 
throughout the length of the river, particularly the records of head- 
water and tailwater at the two U. S. dams at Kampsville and La Grange, 
the two State dams at Copperas Creek and Henry, the observations of 
the Weather Bureau at Beardstown and Peoria, and several other gages 
maintained by municipalities and the railroads which cross the stream. 
Table No. 1 shows the locations of all gages so far as known, with a 
statement of the length of time covered by each record. The data is 
very complete for the past twenty years. A number of the gage records 
are fairly complete back to 1880. The Peoria gage record is continuous, 
excepting a few years, back to 1869. 

TABLE NO. 1— LIST OF GAGES ON ILLINOIS AND DESPLAINES RIVERS. 
Compiled from report of United States Engineers on 14-foot waterway. 



■25 






General location. 



fa 





TJ 








m w 


Reads 


> fa 


up or 


s§ 


down. 


CO '-' 




%% 




§X2 




>< 



By whom 
established. 



Custodian of 
records. 



0.0 
0.0 



7.0 
21.0 
31.5 
31.5 
31.5 

31.5 

43.1 



Grafton Dock 

Grafton Dock 

Deer Plain 

Hardin 

Columbiana 

Kampsville 

Kampsville Lock— lower . . 

Kampsville Lock— upper. 
Pearl— C & A. Bridge. . . 

Valley City— Wabash Br 



219.60 
410.96 



413. 37 
414. 61 
416.47 
416. 82 
409. 10 

409. 13 

419.70 



421. 75 



Up... 
. . do. . 



..do.. 
Both. 
Both. 
Up... 
. . do. . 

..do.. 

..do.. 



.do- 



'79-'92 


'94- 


'14 


'78- 


'80 


'78- 


'80 


'78- 


'80 


'81- 


'93 


'94- 


'14 


'93- 


'14 


'78-'14 


'78-'80 


'83- 


'14 



U. S. Eng'rs. 
..do 



..do 



U. S. Eng'ers. 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 



.do. 



U. S. Weather Bu- 
reau, St. Louis— 
U. S. Engineers, 
Peoria. 



United States Engi- 
neers, Peoria. 

United States Engi- 
neers, Peoria. 

U. S. Eng'rs and C. 
&A. R.R.inl904 
— U. S. E., C. & 
A. R.R. and San- 
itary Dist., 1914.. 

Wabash R. R., De- 
catur— U. S. En- 
gineers, Peoria. 



24 



FLOW AND GAGE HEIGHTS- — DAMS — SUBMERGED LANDS. 2; 

$ TABLE NO. 1— Continued. 



General location. 



£> 








o 




J2 




03 OT 

.Sag 


Reads 


up or 




down. 


H 





By whom 
established. 



Custodian of 
records. 



7 71.3 



22 



23 



Meredosia— Wabash Br . 



25 



77.6 
77.6 

77.6 

88.9 



97.5 
103.0 
108.5 
111.5 
120.0 



128.0 
137.0 
137.0 

137.0 

146.5 

153.5 



162.0 
163.0 



163.0 
164.5 



172.3 
180, 
181.3 
182, 



187.3 
189.0 

189.0 

191 

194, 

195.5 

196.0 

196, 



198.5 
201. 

202. 
207. 
210. 

210.5 
212.0 



Browning 436. 82 

Sharp's Landing 429.49 



LaGrange Lock site , 

LaGrange Lock— lower 

LaGrange Lock— upper 

Beardstown— C. B. & Q. Br. . . 



424. 22 Up 



425. 23 
418. 23 



418. 23 
427. 25 



Holme's Landing 

Bath 

Havana Highway Bridge. 



Liverpool 

Copperas Creek 

Copperas Lock— lower. 



Copperas Lock— upper 

Kingston Mines— landing. . 



Pekin Highway Bridge. 



Peoria & Pekin Union R . R. Br 
Peoria Lower Free Bridge 



Peoria Lower Free Bridge. 
Peoria— U. S. Boatyard... 



Peoria— upper bridge 

Mossville (£ mile above) .. . 

Chillicothe, San. Dist 

Chillicothe (l* mile above) . 
Santa Fe R. R. Bridge. . .. 



Sparland (If miles below) 
Lacon Highway Bridge. . . 



Lacon Highway Bridge 

Lacon (2 miles above) 

Henry (2 miles below) 

Henry Br. (| mile below). 

Henry (city) 

Henry Lock— lower 



Henry Lock — upper. 



Henry (2i miles above). 
In Lake Senachwine. . . 
In Lake Senachwine. . . 

Hennepin 

Bureau— Lock No. 1. . . 



Bureau Junction 

Depue (1J miles below). 



439, 
430. 22 
431 



438. 60 
432. 73 

427. 75 

432. 73 

434. 44 



435. 53 
435 



588. 36 
435. 82 



413. 10 

588.40 



588. 52 
436.41 



588. 13 
442. 04 



Both. 
Up... 



do., 
do.. 



..do. 
..do. 
..do. 
..do. 
..do. 



..do. 
..do. 
..do. 

..do. 

..do. 

..do. 



..do... 
..do... 

Down. 
Up.... 



..do... 
Down. 



Down. 

Up.... 



Down. 
Up.... 



588. 18 
588. 20 
588. 13 
587. 
587. 
436. 64 



443. 



587. 82 
587. 73 
587. 87 
587. 56 



587. 60 
587. 56 



Down. 
..do... 
..do... 
Down. 
..do... 
Both.. 



Up. 



Down. 
..do... 
..do... 
..do... 
Up.... 



'78-'81 
'84-' 14 



'82- : 
'90-'14 



'78-'84 
'85-' 14 



1903 
'78-'80 

1903 
'78-'79 
'78-'81 
'95-'04 
'07-'14 



1903 
'73-'76 
'77-'14 

'77-'14 

'03-'04 



'92, '98-'04 
'12-' 14 



'03-' 04 
'67-'14 



U. S. Eng'ers. 



.do. 
.do. 



.do 

.do 



..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 



'10-'14 
'94-' 14 



do. 



do 

111. Canal Com 
..do 

..do 

U. S. Eng'rs... 



City of Pekin 



U. S. Geo. Sur 
U. S. Eng'rs... 

Sanitary Dist.. 
U.S. Eng'rs... 

Peoria W. W . . 

Sanitary Dist.. 
..do 



'03-'04 



'03-' 04 



..do 

U.S. Eng'rs.. 



Sanitary Dist.. 
U.S. Eng'rs... 

Sanitary Dist.. 

..do 

..do 

Sanitary Dist.. 

..do 

111. Canal Com 



.do. 



Down. 
..do... 



'03-'04 



Sanitary Dist. 

..do 

..do 

..do 

U.S. Eng'rs.. 

Sanitary Dist. 
..do 



Wabash R. R., De- 
catur— U. S. En- 
gineers, Peoria. 

United States Engi- 
neers, Peoria. 

United States Engi- 
neers, Peoria. 

U. S. W. B., 1904— 
U.S. W. B.,U.S. 
Eng'rs and San. 
Dist. in 1914. 

San. Dist., Chicago. 



San. Dist., Chicago. 



U.S. Eng'rs, in 1904 
— U. S. Eng'rs 
and San. Dist. in 
1914. 

San. Dist., Chicago. 

United States Engi- 
neers, Peoria. 

United States Engi- 
neers, Peoria. 

U.S. Eng'rs, Peoria 
1904— San. Dist., 
Chicago, 1914. 

U.S. Eng'rs, in 1904 
— U. S. Eng'rs 
and San. Dist. 
in 1914. 

U. S. Geo. Survey. 

U. S. W. B-, St. L. 
and Peoria. 

United States Engi- 
neers, Peoria. 

Peoria Water Wks., 
Peoria. 

San. Dist., Chicago. 

U. S. Eng'rs in 1904 
—San. Dist. In 
1914. 

United States Engi- 
neers, Peoria. 



San. Dist., Chicago. 
Illinois Canal Cora., 

Lockport— U. S. 

Eng'rs, Peoria. 
Illinois Canal Com., 

Lockport— U. S. 

Eng'rs, Peoria. 



San. Dist., Chicago. 
United States Engi- 
neers, Peoria. 



26 



REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 



TABLE NO. 1— Continued. 





General location. 


> 
o 

£2 
S3 w 

•2&H 


M 2 

.-So 




«§3 

> ® « 


§ 




H 



Reads 
up or 
down. 






By whom 
established. 



Custodian of 
records. 



48 



50 



214.0 
218.3 

218.3 
220.8 
222.5 
222.5 
222.5 
223.0 



Marquette (1 mile below) 

Spring Valley 

Spring Valley 

Peru (l\ miles below) . . . 

Peru Wagon Bridge 

Peru Wagon Bridge 

Peru Wagon Bridge 

La Salle Lock 15 



224. 
224. 
226. 
230. 
230. 
234. 
235. 
236. 
237. 
239. 
236. 
239. 
239. 
239. 

240. 
243. 
244. 
247. 

249. 
247. 
250. 
252. 
252. 
250. 
254. 
256. 
260. 
262. 
263. 
263. 



La Salle Highway Bridge 

La Salle acqueduct 

La Salle (2 miles above) 

Utica Highway Bridge 

Utica Highway Bridge 

Ottawa (below Buf. Rock) 

B uffalo Rock 

Ottawa (3| miles below) 

Ottawa (2"miles below) 

Ottawa— C, B. & Q. Bridge 

La Salle County Poor Farm 

Ottawa— C B. & Q. Bridge.... 
Ottawa— C. B. & Q. Bridge.... 

Ottawa— between bridges 

Ottawa Wagon Bridge 

Ottawa— above Fox River 

Ottawa— Fleming Farm 

Marseilles — Douglas Farm 

Marseilles (1J miles above dam) 

Marseilles — above Kickapoo Cr. 

Marseilles (city) 

Marseilles (2 miles above) 

Seneca Bridge 

Seneca Bridge (200' above) 

Seneca (2 miles below) 

Seneca (1J miles above) 

Seneca (4~miles above) 

Morris (2£ miles below) 

Morris (^ mile below) 

Morris Bridge 

Morris Bridge 



Morris (2J miles above) 

Morris (3 i miles above) 

Divine— E. J. & E. Bridge... 

Divine— E. J. & E. Bridge 

Divine— E. J. & E. Bridge 

Kankakee R. (i mi. above)... 

Kankakee R. (800' above) 

Kankakee feeder 

Kankakee cut-off. 

Kankakee cut-off (1 mi. above) 

Dupage- R. (f mile below) 

Dupage R. (mouth) 

Smith's Bridge 

Smith's Bridge (£ mi. above) .. 

Smith's Bridge (-^ mile above) . 

Jackson Cr. (2, 000' above) 

Millsdale Highway Bridge 

Millsdale Highway Bridge 

Foot of Treat's Island 

Head of Treat's Island 

Head of Treat's Island 

Millsdale (2 miles above) 

Patterson's Station 

Brandon (below bridge) 

Brandon Bridge 

So. Joliet— Davidson Stone Q. 



587. 48 
587.39 
587. 31 
587.30 
442.98 
443. 45 
587. 02 
435. 36 



587. 08 
587. 14 
587. 12 
444. 06 
587. 14 
587. 14 
451. 00 
587. 02 
587. 06 
587. 12 
453.90 
587. 05 
594. 35 
453. 92 
454. 74 
457. 72 
462. 48 
464. 78 
484. 31 

487. 22 
587. 00 
587. 26 
484. 50 
587. 28 
587.34 
587. 24 
587. 24 
587. 08 
587. 10 
587. 22 
485. 95 



587. 25 
587. 04 
488. 48 
587. 20 
587. 25 
494.41 
587.36 
587.45 
587. 16 
587. 07 
587. 25 

586. 95 

587. 17 
499. 06 

587. 13 
587. 10 
587. 06 

587. 06 
500.41 
509. 55 

588. 28 
587. 09 

586. 72 
584. 55 

587. 06 
587. 04 



Down. 
..do... 
..do... 
..do... 
Up.... 
Lp.... 
Down. 
Up.... 



Down. 
..do... 
..do... 
Up.... 
Down. 
..do... 
Up.... 
Down. 
..do... 
..do... 
Both.. 
Down. 
..do... 
Both. . 
..do... 
..do— 
..do... 
..do— 
..do... 

..do... 
Down. 
..do- 
Both. . 
Down. 
..do... 
..do... 
..do... 
..do... 
..do... 
..do... 
Both. . 



Down. 
..do- 
Up.... 
Down. 
..do... 
Both. . 
Down. 
..do... 
..do... 
..do... 
..do— 
..do... 
Down. 
Both. . 

Down. 
..do... 
..do— 
..do... 
Both.. 
..do- 
Down. 
..do... 
..do... 
..do... 
..do... 
..do... 



'67-'77 
'93-' 14 



1900 
'1883 



1900 
'03-'04 



900 

883 

'83-'89 

'98-'00 

1900 



1900 
1903 



87, '93-'00 
'03-'04 



1900 
'03-'04 



1883 



1904 
1903 



1904 



00, '03-'04 
'02-'04 



1883 



Sanitary Dist 

..do 

..do 

..do 

U. S. Eng'rs 
..do 

Sanitary Dist 

U.S. Eng'rs. 



Sanitary Dist 

..do 

..do 

U.S. Eng'rs. 
Sanitary Dist 
..do 

U. S. Eng'rs 
Sanitary Dist 
..do.... 
..do..-. 
U.S. Eng'rs 
Sanitary 
..do.... 
U. S. Eng'rs 



Dist. 



..do. 
..do. 
..do. 
..do. 

..do. 
..do. 
Sanitary Dist 
Sanitary Dist 
U.S. Eng'rs.. 
U.S. Eng'rs. 
Sanitary Dist 
..do... 
..do... 
..do... 
..do... 
..do... 

U.S. Eng'rs.. 

Sanitary Dist. 
..do 

U.S. Eng'rs.. 
Sanitary Dist. 
..do 

U.S. Eng'rs.. 
Sanitary Dist. 
..do.- 
..do.. 
..do.. 
..do.. 
..do.. 
Sanitary Dist. 
U.S. Eng'rs.. 

Sanitary Dist. 

..do 

..do 

..do 

U. S. Eng'rs 

..do 

Sanitary Dist 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 



San. Dist., Chicago. 

111. Canal Com. in 
1904— U.S. W.B., 
San. Dist. and U. 
S. Eng'rs, 1914. 

San. Dist., Chicago. 



San. Dist., Chicago. 



San. Dist., Chicago. 



San. Dist., Chicago. 
San. Dist., Chicago. 



San. Dist., Chicago. 

United States Engi- 
neers, Peoria. 



San. Dist., Chicago. 

San. Dist., Chicago. 
San. Dist., Chicago. 



United States Engi- 
neers, Peoria. 
San. Dist., Chicago. 



San. Dist., Chicago. 





















■AXMAN 10 HTUOM OT HDTV, 






e30AT8 *3Vlfi 8UOI5V ^3JAV3^H 

e30AjS eUOlSAVTAfl::. J-il H° 









FIGURE 3. 

Diagram Showing 

Prevalence of Various River Stages 
on Illinois River at various Places 



To Accompany the Report c 

Alvord&Burdick 

Engineers 




AvERAet Number of Da 
©tage wsEqu* 

",l 1 1 1 Mil 


r-6 per Year in which Given "> 
led or Exceeded 


* t::::::::::::::- 




I 3 








fel5 \ - 


£43aje 


s His-:::-:: ::::: 


■ 


" N 'IV35VYEAK 




1 ^ 




»» -*, = 




I ::::::::::::=s=;: 


■ 










i 5 




| 
















ol 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 


: ± :• 



1 I 
J i 

|0o -3 



G^Ij 



Ml 



15 I 

X * 

IDS 



no 



. 









aaas^vA 



FLOW AND GAGE HEIGHTS— DAMS — SUBMERGED LANDS. 
TABLE NO. 1— Concluded. 



27 



General location. 



Hi 



Reads 
up or 
down. 



By whom 
established. 



Custodian of 
records. 



59 



287.3 



287.5 
287 



290.0 



So- Joliet— above McDonough 
St 

So. Joliet— McDonough St. Br 

So. Joliet— C R. I. & P. R. R 
Br 

Joliet — Dam No. 1 

Joliet— E.J. & E. Bridge 

Joliet— below Adam's Dam 

Joliet— below dam 



Joliet— above dam. 



288.5 

292.0 
292.8 
293.3 
293.3 
293.5 
308.0 
314.0 



Joliet— above Dam No. 1. 
Joliet— Lock No. 5 



Lockport (J mile below) 

Lockport 

Lockport Controlling Works. 
Lockport Controlling Works. 
Lockport Controlling Works. 

Willow Springs 

Riverside 

Des Plaines Bridge 



587. 07 

587. 03 
587. 04 
587. 02 
520. 65 
544. 65 



544. 65 

543. 76 
538. 23 

587. 18 
586. 97 
587. 04 

586. 97 
590. 08 

587. 04 
587. 04 
587. 13 







..do.... 




..do.... 




..do.... 




..do.... 




Both. . . 


1883 


..do.... 


'03-'04 


..do.... 


'01-'04 


..do.... 


'92-'98 


..do.... 


'93-'04 


Down. . 




..do.... 


'00-'04 


..do.... 




..do.... 




..do.... 




..do.... 


'90, '92-'98 


..do.... 


'86-'04 


..do.... 


'87-'98 



Sanitary Dist. . 
..do 



..do 

..do 

..do 

U. S. Eng'rs... 

Econ. L. & P 

Co 



..do 

Sanitary Dist.. 
111. Canal Com 

Sanitary Dist.. 
U.S. Eng'rs... 
Sanitary Dist.. 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 



San. Dist., Chicago. 



Econ. L. & Power 

Co., Joliet. 
Econ. L. & Power 

Co., Joliet. 

Illinois Canal Com., 
Lockport. 

San. Dist., Chicago. 
San. Dist., Chicago. 
San. Dist., Chicago. 
San. Dist., Chicago. 
San. Dist., Chicago. 
San. Dist., Chicago. 



Note.— Numbers in first column refer to gages listed in Appendix A22 of United States Engineers 
Report on 14-foot waterway. 

The records of all gages except those maintained by the Sanitary 
District of Qhicago (these refer particularly to the upper river) are 
printed in the Eeport of the U. S. Engineers on the "Fourteen Foot 
Waterway"*, and include all readings up to 1904 inclusive. For the 
purposes of this report, these gage records have been brought clown to 
July, 1914. Space here prevents their reproduction in full, but numerous 
exhibits herewith attached give the result of the same in so far as they 
throw light upon the matters herein discussed. The complete gage 
records are on file at the office of the Eivers and Lakes Commission. 

Fig. 2 shows a condensed profile of the river bed, and the extreme 
high and low water marks in various years. 

Fig. 3 shows diagrammatically the prevalence of various gage 
heights at salient points upon the river, namely at Grafton, where the 
gage is on the Mississippi immediately below the mouth of the Illinois, 
and is therefore influenced not only by the Illinois, but principally by 
the larger watershed of the Mississippi ; at Valley City about midway 
between the Kampsville and LaGrange dams, and near the head of the 
reach in which the levee operations have been most extensive; at Beards- 
town just below the junction of the Sangamon Eiver, the largest tribu- 
tary above the Illinois Eiver mouth; and at the foot of Peoria Lake 
which is probably the best flow gaging station on the river. 

The diagrams, Fig. 3 indicate the average number of days in each 
year in which various gage heights are equalled or exceeded, and thus 
serve to show the prevalence and duration of various river stages. The 

* 59th Congress Document No. 263. 



28 REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER, 

heights as shown at the left of the diagrams refer to feet above the low 
water of 1894, and at the right, the stage upon the local gage, the 
zeros of the gages being at various elevations in reference to low water 
and the Memphis datum plane. Two curves are shown for each place, 
namely, the average conditions from 1900 to 1913 inclusive, and from 
1890 to 1899 inclusive, in order to visualize the effect of the increased 
flow of water since the opening of the Chicago Drainage Canal, January 
1, 1900. It is apparent however, that a large part of the differences 
shown must be ascribed to differences in the natural run-off during these 
two periods, for the decade preceding 1900 is known to be one of 
relatively small natural flow. This is evidenced by the diagram refer- 
ring to the Grafton gage on which the effect of the Illinois Eiver flow 
is comparatively slight, which shows the prevalence of materially smaller 
gage heights prior to 1900 than subsequent thereto. 

Excepting at Valley City, there has been no change in the river 
likely to materially affect gage heights during the period considered, 
except flow. The conditions for the decade previous to 1900 at Valley 
City are not shown, on account of the interruption in the record caused 
by the construction of the Kampsville dam completed in 1893. In order 
to obtain ten full years at Grafton, the years 1888 and 1889 were used 
on account of the interruption of the records for the years 1892 and 
1893. In a few cases it was necessary to interpolate gage heights during 
the season of the year when the river was frozen over. It is believed 
in so doing, that the error is small. To have omitted the consideration 
of these evidently low water periods would have introduced serious error. 

The gage at Beardstown, it is believed, typifies conditions generally 
throughout the river valley better than any other gage, it being just 
below the mouth of the Sangamon where the Illinois has received 83 
per cent of its drainage, and a sufficient distance upstream so that the 
flow on the Illinois is major, and the influence of the Mississippi stage 
minor. At this place a 4-foot stage or more (10 feet on the Beardstown 
gage) has prevailed about half the time since 1900. Every year an 
8-foot stage has been reached, and upon the average maintained for 
about forty-five days. A 12-foot stage has been exceeded twice. In 
the decade prior to 1900, a 1-foot stage was equalled or exceeded about 
half the time. A 2-foot stage (8 feet on Beardstown gage) was obtained 
every year for an average duration of 135 days. 

An examination of the diagrams above referred to, further shows 
that considering the stages equalled or exceeded one-half the time, and 
comparing the periods of ten years prior and fourteen years subsequent 
to January 1, 1900, the Beardstown gage was 2.8 feet lower in the 
earlier period, the Peoria gage 5.5 feet lower, and the Grafton gage 
■3 feet lower. At extremely high water, and again at low water, the 
differences are less. 

TYPICAL GAGE RECORDS. 

As bearing upon prevailing stages in different years and different 
seasons in individual years, Fig. 4 is presented which shows a graph 
of the daily gage heights at Grafton since 1879, at La Grange both 





/ 










































• 










' 


\ 





^^^^^^^^^ppg ^^^^ ^^ ; : ■ -- r -r--~-- -,— , 5 x-^-— qp- h^,;4>^^- --•-- Tf^-/'* ?>"T'-' I 







FICURE 1-Dlagrain o/ Gase Heights on Illinois River at Gratton, LaGrange a 



























































































































, 








- 








































- 






















































- 
























































. 







MSI 



mj 



•■- ■ . 



.,- * 



■t 



c w 



FLOW AND GAGE HEIGHTS DAMS — SUBMERGED LANDS. 29 

immediately above and below the dam and lock since 1889, and at Peoria 
with some short interruptions of record since 1881. At the bottom of 
the diagram the approximate flow at Peoria is shown, based upon the 
Peoria rating curve, together with the flow of the Chicago Drainage 
Canal. 

It will be noted that extremely low water at Grafton has varied 
only slightly since the establishment of the gage, reaching very nearly 
or quite to zero in the driest seasons up to and including the year 1914. 
The tailwater at La Grange, namely, immediately below the dam receded 
to between 7 and 8 feet in the dry years prior to 1900. It seems to 
have been little influenced by the construction of the Kampsville dam 
completed in 1893. Beginning with the year 1900, the tailwater has not 
fallen below 10 feet on the gage, and since 1901 it has not fallen below 
11 feet. The headwater levels immediately above the dam likewise indi- 
cate increasing flows during the low water season since 1900. 

The diagram for La Grange further shows the influence of flow 
upon the head created at the dam, the head reaching a maximum in the 
low water season, and nearly or quite disappearing in the spring flood 
months. 

The headwater levels prior to 1899 were somewhat influenced by 
flashboards placed upon the crest of the dam, which increased the depth 
of water above the same. In 1894, flashboards were placed upon all 
four of the Illinois Eiver dams. Flashboards were used more or less at 
LaGrange from 1890 to 1899, but have not since been used at that place. 

NATURAL FLOW. 

At the present time during dry seasons, the flow of the Illinois 
Eiver is largely artificial by reason of the Lake Michigan water diverted 
to the river through the Chicago Drainage Canal. Prior to January 17, 
1900, the conditions were natural except for the small amount of water 
pumped through the Illinois-Michigan Canal. 

Table No. 2 shows the flow of the Illinois Eiver at Peoria during 
each month of the years 1890 to 1900 inclusive, as estimated by Jacob 
A. Harman, C. E., and published in the report of the Illinois State 
Board of Health on Sanitary Investigations of the Illinois Eiver tribu- 
taries in 1901. Table No. 3 is a summary of the years 1890 to 1899 
inclusive, and a comparison thereof with the rainfalls in those years. 

The flows are estimated from gage heights and a comparison 
thereof with seven measurements of flow at various stages of river 
ranging from 4 feet to 19 feet at the lower wagon bridge, Peoria. These 
figures probably represent a maximum estimate, as a greater number of 
subsequent measurements seems to indicate somewhat smaller flows, 
especially at the middle gage readings. 

In reference to these figures, the following is quoted from Mr. 
Harman's report above referred to: 



30 



REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 



TABLE NO. 2— FLOW OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER AT PEORIA, ILLINOIS. 
As estimated by Jacob A. Harman, C. E., Drainage area 13,480 square miles. 





Discharge in second-feet. 


Run-off. 


Month. 


Maximum. 


Minimum. 


Mean. 


Depth- 
inches. 


Second- 




Gage. 


Dis- 
charge. 


Gage. 


Dis- 
charge. 


feet — 
square 
mile. 


1890 


12.3 

9.0 

10.0 

13.8 

11.7 

13.3 

11.6 

3.3 

3.6 

4.9 

4.6 

4.4 


20,329 

10, 395 

13, 025 

25,996 

18, 256 

24, 034 

17,923 

1,221 

1,474 

2,854 

2,494 

2,268 


6.2 
7.7 
6.7 
10.6 
8.8 
8.9 
3.0 
3.0 
3.2 
2.6 
3.6 
3.8 


4,706 

7,455 

5,548 

14, 765 

9,907 

10, 150 

992 

992 

1,221 

723 

1,474 

1,657 


12, 201 
8,523 
9,551 

19, 395 

13, 025 
17, 103 

6,950 
1,066 
1,303 
1,800 
1,950 
1,850 


1.025 
.712 
.802 
1.628 
1.093 
1.436 
.583 
.089 
.109 
.151 
.159 
.155 


.905 


Februray 


.632 


March 


.709 


April 


1.440 


May 


.966 


June 


1.268 


July 


.515 


August 


.078 


September 


.098 


ctober 


.133 


November 


.144 


December 


.136 






Year 


13.8 

4.9 
8.6 
10.0 
15.0 
12.8 
8.9 
7.1 
3.9 
3.4 
3.0 
5.0 
5.9 


25, 996 

2,854 

9,433 

13,025 

30,985 

22, 140 

10, 150 

6,275 

1,752 

1,303 

992 

2,980 

4,233 


2.6 

3.8 
3.9 
6.7 
10.3 
4.9 
4.8 
3.3 
■ 3.1 
3.0 
2.7 
2.9 
4.7 


723 

1,657 

1,752 

5,548 

13,880 

2,854 

2,732 

1,221 

1,066 

992 

786 

921 

2,612 


7,893 

2,193 
2,793 
8,808 
22, 649 
9,988 
5,906 
2,612 
1,286 
1,055 
892 
1,737 
3,549 


7.942 

.185 
.235 
.739 
1.903 
.839 
.496 
.218 
.108 
.088 
.076 
.146 
.298 


.588 


1891 
January 


.162 


February.. 


.206 


March 


.653 


April 


1.682 




.741 




.437 


July 


.194 




.094 


September 


.077 


October 


.067 


November 


.128 


December 


.262 






Year 


15.0 

5.8 

7.1 

8.5 

14.5 

21.9 

18.5 

17.5 

9.9 

4.7 

4.4 

4.8 

5.3 


30,985 

4,080 
6,275 
9,201 
28, 858 
69, 031 
48, 130 

42. 745 

12. 746 
2,612 
2,268 
2,732 
3,372 


2.7 

4.7 

4.7 

7.0 

8.1 

10.9 

14.4 

10.0 

4.4 

4.2 

4.0 

4.0 

4.5 


786 

2,612 

2,612 

6,089 

8,303 

15, 678 

28, 441 

13, 025 

2,268 

2,054 

1,850 

1,850 

2,380 


5,289 

3,108 

4,335 

7,763 

20,517 

46, 342 

35, 977 

27, 615 

5,725 

2,302 

1,980 

2,202 

2,885 


5.331 

.260 

.364 

.652 

1.722 

3.889 

3.020 

2. 318 

.481 

.193 

.165 

.185 

.241 


.392 


1892 


.229 


February 


.321 




.575 


April 


1.521 




3.440 




2.672 


July 


2.032 




.425 


September 


.170 


October 


.147 


November 


.165 


December 


.212 


Year 


21.9 

4.7 

13.8 

19.6 

15.5 

16.5 

11.7 

7.9 

3.6 

3.6 

4.0 

4.1 

5.0 


69,031 

2,612 

25,996 

54, 570 

33, 175 

37, 771 

18, 256 

7,874 

1,474 

1,474 

1,850 

1,950 

2,980 


4.0 

4.1 

4.3 

13.2 

11.6 

11.9 

8.3 

3.6 

3.0 

3.0 

3.5 

3.8 

4.0 


1,850 

1,950 

2,160 

23, 649 

17,923 

18,934 

8,745 

1,474 

992 

992 

1,387 

1,657 

1,850 


13, 396 

2,214 

11, 721 

37, 296 

24, 571 

29, 068 

14, 914 

3,464 

1,362 

1,156 

1,752 

1,765 

2,272 


13. 490 

.186 

.984 

3.132 

2.064 

2.440 

1.254 

.291 

. .115 

.107 

.147 

.148 

.191 


.994 


1893 
January 


.164 




.869 


March 


2.768 


April 


1.823 




2.176 


June 


1.107 


July 


.275 


August 


. 1Q1 




.084 


October 


.129 


November 


.130 


D ecember 


.168 


Year 


19.6 

5.9 
6.3 
12.0 
9.0 
9.2 


54, 570 

4,233 

4,868 
19, 277 
10, 395 
10, 894 


3.0 

4.9 
5.4 
6.0 
7.4 
6.8 


992 

2,854 
3,509 
4,390 
6,851 
5,725 


10.966 

3,372 
4,107 
13,592 
7,905 
8,413 


11. 060 

.288 
.344 
1.141 
.664 
.706 


.815 


1894 


.256 


February 


.301 




1.008 


April 


.586 




.624 







PLOW AND GAGE HEIGHTS— DAMS — SUBMERGED LANDS. 
TABLE NO. 2— Continued. 



31 





Discharge in second-feet. 


Run-off. 


Month. 


Maximum 


Minimum. 


Mean. 


Depth- 
inches. 


Second- 




Gage. 


Dis- 
charge. 


Gage. 


Dis- 
charge. 


feet— 
square 
mile. 


June 


7.2 
4.3 
3.5 
6.4 
4.9 
4.3 
5.1 


6,464 
2,160 
1,387 
5,034 
2,854 
2,160 
3,108 


4.4 
3.4 
3.1 
3.2 
3.8 
3.8 
4.3 


2,268 
1,303 
1,066 
1,142 
1,657 
1,657 
2,160 


3,481 
1,657 
1,208 
3,283 
1,825 
2,059 
2,495 


.293 
.139 
.101 
.275 
.153 
.173 
.210 


.258 


July 


.122 


August 


.088 


September 


.242 


October 


.135 


November 


.152 


December 


.185 






Year 


12.0 

4.7 
6.7 
8.0 
7.3 
5.0 
3.9 
6.3 
5.3 
5.5 
4.1 
4.6 
14.9 


19, 277 

2,612 

5,548 
8,087 
6,656 
2,980 
1,752 
4,868 
3,372 
3,648 
1,950 
2,494 
30, 554 


3.1 

3.3 
3.5 
5.8 
5.2 
3.9 
3.1 
3.7 
3.4 
3.6 
3.6 
3.7 
4.3 


1,066 

1,221 
1,387 
4,082 
3,239 
1,752 
1,066 
1,564 
1,303 
1,474 
1,387 
1,564 
2,160 


4,460 

1,502 
2,160 
5,998 
5,008 
2,437 
1,387 
2,624 
1,834 
2,450 
1,590 
2,059 
11, 022 


4.487 

.126 
.182 
.504 
.420 
.205 
.116 
.220 
.153 
.206 
.135 
.172 
.925 


.331 


1895 
January 


.111 


February 


.160 


March 


.445 


April 


.371 


May 


.181 


June 


.102 


July 


.194 


August 


.134 


September 


.181 


October 


.115 




.151 


December 


.817 






Year 


14.9 

14.3 
11.1 
11.9 

8.4 
10.2 
10.0 
9.2 
9.7 
6.6 
8.9 
8.1 
7.4 


30, 554 

28, 027 
16,303 
18, 934 

8,971 
13, 592 
13, 025 
10, 894 
12, 201 

5,373 
10, 150 

8,303 

6,851 


3.1 

8.2 
8.1 
8.3 
6.6 
5.3 
5.8 
3.6 
6.7 
5.4 
5.8 
5.8 
5.4 


1,066 

8,523 
8,303 
8,745 
5,373 
3,372 
4,082 
1,474 
5,548 
3,509 
4,082 
4,082 
3,509 


3,338 

15, 555 
11, 257 
13, 767 
6,999 
7,124 
7,585 
3,524 
8,390 
4,148 
7,029 
6,464 
5,350 


3.364 

1.306 
.945 

1.156 
.588 
.598 
.636 
.296 
.705 
.349 
.590 
.543 
.449 


.247 


1896 
January 


1.153 


February 


.834 




1.020 


April 


.519 


May 


.526 


June 


.561 




.261 


August 


.624 


September 


.308 


October 


.521 




.480 


December 


.396 






Year 


14.3 

14.9 
13.8 
18.3 
17.3 
11.5 
9.6 
9.1 
4.7 
3.9 
3.8 
4.9 
4.4 


28, 027 

30, 554 

25, 996 

47, 019 

4,720 

17, 592 

11, 933 

10, 643 

2,612 

1,752 

1,657 

2,854 

2,268 


3.6 

5.4 

10.6 

12.6 

11.2 

6.8 

4.5 

4.9 

3.8 

3.7 

3.7 

3.8 

4.1 


1,474 

3,509 

14, 765 

21,408 

16, 621 

5,725 

2,380 

2,854 

1,657 

1,564 

1,564 

1,657 

1,950 


8,099 

22, 786 

18, 738 

34, 527 

25, 231 

12,540 

5,666 

5,607 

1,852 

1,734 

1,549 

2,115 

1,734 


8.161 

1.912 
1.574 
2.900 
2.119 
1.053 
.475 
.473 
.155 
.146 
.128 
.177 
.146 


.600 


1897 


1.689 


February 


1.390 




2.560 


April 


1.852 




.930 


June 


.419 


July 


.417 


August 


.136 




.128 


October 


.113 




.156 


December 


.128 






Year 


18.3 

7.7 
13.4 
19.3 
19.2 
14.1 
13.5 
9.1 
5.7 
5.8 
8.0 
10.0 
8.4 


47, 019 

7,455 

24,421 

52, 766 

52, 169 

27, 206 

24, 810 

10,643 

3,935 

4,082 

8,087 

13, 025 

8,971 


3.7 

4.0 
6.9 
11.6 
10.9 
8.8 
8.8 
3.5 
4.0 
4.4 
4.7 
7.2 
5.9 


1,564 

1,850 
5,906 
17,923 
15,678 
9,907 
9,907 
1,387 
1,850 
2,268 
2,612 
6,464 
4,233 


11, 173 

3,845 

15, 180 

31,643 

29, 468 

17, 275 

15, 935 

4, 259 

2,678 

3,372 

3,762 

9,559 

6,102 


11.258 

.322 
1.275 
2.658 
2.476 
1.451 
1.339 
.357 
.225 
.283 
.315 
.800 
.512 


.826 


1898 
January 


.285 


February 


1.126 




2.346 


April 


2.186 


May 


1.281 


June 


1.182 




.315 


August 


.198 


September 


.249 


October 


.278 




.707 


December 


.451 






Year 


19.3 


52, 766 


3.5 


1.387 


11,923 


12. 013 


.884 







32 



REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 
TABLE NO. 2— Concluded. 



Month. 



Discharge in second -feet. 



Maximum. 



Gage. 



Dis- 
chargi 



Minimum. 



Gage. 



Dis- 
charge. 



Mean. 



Run-off. 



Depth- 
inches. 



Second- 
feet— 

square 
mile. 



January 

February 

March 

April 

May 

June 

July 

August 

September 

October 

November 

December 

Year 

1900 

January 

February 

March 

April 

May 

June 

July 

August 

September 

October ■.. 

November 

December 

Year 



9.3 
10.6 
15.1 
13.0 
8.7 
8.7 
6.2 
4.4 
4.3 
4.6 
5.1 
6.8 



15.1 



8.1 

12.4 

19.9 

16.9 

11.5 

8.9 

7.3 

8.1 

8.2 

7.0 

9.5 

9.7 



19.9 



11, 149 
14, 765 
31,417 
22, 889 



4,706 
2,268 
2,160 
2,494 
3,108 
5,725 



31,417 



8,303 

20,686 

56, 401 

39, 717 

17, 592 

10, 150 

6,656 

8,303 

8,523 

6,089 

11, 668 

12, 201 



56, 401 



4.1 
3.8 
3.4 
3.7 
4.0 
4.4 
4.5 



7,049 
3,372 
17,265 
10,395 
5,548 
1,950 
1,657 
1,303 
1,564 
1,850 
2,268 
2,380 



3.4 



4.9 
7.5 
11.3 
11.9 
8.6 
6.8 
6.3 
6.7 
5.3 
6.3 
6.7 
8.0 



1,303 



2,874 
7,049 
16,941 
18,934 
9,433 
5, 725 
4,868 
5,548 
3,372 
4,868 
5,548 
8,087 



4.9 



2,874 



9,641 
6,264 
27,308 
17, 730 
7,100 
5,954 
2,888 
1,678 
1,813 
2,054 
2,660 
3,448 



7,378 



4,924 

14,500 

35, 100 

29, 110 

12, 036 

8,093 

5,590 

7,149 

5,666 

5,382 

7,071 

9,688 



12,026 



.809 
.526 
2.294 
1.490 
.596 
.500 
.241 
.141 
.153 
.172 
.224 
.290 



7.436 



.416 

1.218 

2.948 

2.444 

1.011 

.677 

.470 

.601 

.476 

.452 

.594 

.814 



12. 121 



TABLE NO. 3— SUMMARIZED FLOW OF ILLINOIS RIVER AT PEORIA. 
By Jacob A. Harman, C. E. 



Year. 


Run-off 
inches. 


Rainfall 
— inches. 


Per cent 

running 

off. 


Cubic 
feet per 
second. 


Second - 

feet per- 

square 

mile. 


1890 


7.942 
5.331 
13.555 
11. 060 
4,487 
3.364 
8.161 

11. 258 

12. 013 
7.436 


33.79 
32.30 
40. 54 
28.80 
28.72 
29.81 
36.03 
32.63 
41.49 
31.11 


23.6 
16.5 
33.4 
28.4 
15.6 
11.3 
22.6 
34.5 
29.0 
23.9 


7,893 
5,289 
13, 396 
10,966 
4,460 
3,338 
8,099 
11, 173 
11,923 
7,378 


.588 


1891 


.392 


1892 


.994 


1893 


.815 


1894 


.331 


1895 


.247 


1896 


.600 


1897 


.826 


1898 


.884 


1899 


.547 






Averages 


8.460 


33.52 


25.2 


8,391 


.622 






Without flow from Illinois and Michigan Canal 


7.860 


33.52 


23.9 


7,791 


.576 



"The period under discussion (1890-1899) has been one of low rainfall, 
the average for the ten years having been 33.52", while the normal rainfall 
for Illinois as given by Leverett in Water Resources of Illinois is 37.85", 
an average annual shortage of 4.33". During that time the rainfall exceeded 
the normal only two years, namely, 1892 and 1898, the intervening years 
being regarded as the greatest period of severe drouth that has been experi- 
enced in this region since it has been settled." * * * 

"The actual low water flow at Peoria during the last ten years has for 
days and sometimes weeks been as low as 1,000 to 1,200 cubic feet per second, 



FLOW AND GAGE HEIGHTS DAMS — SUBMERGED LANDS. 



33 



approximately 600 cubic feet of which has been furnished to the Illinois- 
Michigan Canal by the pumps at Bridgeport. * * * The natural flow of 
the Illinois River at Peoria has apparently been as low as 200 to 300 cubic 
feet per second." 

U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MEASUEEMENTS AT PEORIA. 

During the years 1903, 1904, 1905, and 1906, the U. S. Geological 
Survey maintained a gaging station at the Peoria and Pekin Railway 
bridge one and one-half miles southwest of Peoria. Table No. 4 sum- 
marizes the flow as reported in Water Supply Papers Nos. 98, 171 and 
207. Flows are given for the open water months onlv. During the 
years of observation, the Drainage Canal being in operation, the flow on 
no day was less than 6,170 second-feet. 

TABLE NO. 4— ESTIMATED MONTHLY DISCHARGE OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER AT 
PEORIA, ILLINOIS— DRAINAGE AREA 13,250 SQUARE MILES. 

Made by U. S. Geological Survey and reported in Water Supply Papers Nos. 98, 171 and 207. 



Month. 



Discharge in second-feet. 



Maxi- 
mum. 



Mini- 
mum. 



Mean. 



Run -off. 



Second- 
feet per 
square 
mile. 



Dept h in 
inches. 



March 10-31. 

April 

May 

June 

July 1-8 

August 22-31. 
September.. 

October 

November... 
December... 



March 21-31 . . . 

April 

May 

June 

July 

August 

September 

October 

November 

December 1-12: 



April 

May 

June 

July 

August 

September . 
October... 
November. 
December. 



January.. 
February. 

March 

April 

May 

June 

July 1-21. 



1903 



1904 



1905 



1906 



44, 090 
25, 360 
14,870 



16, 065 
14, 080 
11,420 
11,420 



57, 650 
54, 950 
28,410 
13,910 
8,572 
8,092 
9,614 
9,822 
7,450 
7.400 



20, 480 
35,500 
22,930 
13,740 
8,092 
10, 125 
8,044 
8,044 
8,355 



19, 800 
24, 800 
27, 000 
25, 500 
16, 300 
9,280 
7,360 



22, 830 
11, 230 
8,000 



8,620 
11, 565 
7,850 
8,460 



37, 650 
26,440 
13,910 
7,713 
7,118 
7,008 
6,860 
7,491 
7,156 
7,080 



16, 820 
16, 820 
14,460 
8,044 
7,575 
7, 659 
7,008 
6,900 
7,491 



8,460 
16, 000 
18, 700 
17, 100 
9,220 
7,360 
6,170 



40, 589 


3.06 


31, 169 


2.35 


17,332 


1.31 


10, 152 


.77 


9,160 


.69 


8,637 


.65 


12, 127 


.92 


13, 129 


.99 


9,790 


.74 


9,500 


.72 


51,330 


. .387 


39, 000 


2.94 


19,310 


1.46 


11, 000 


.830 


7,789 


.588 


7,577 


.572 


7,531 


.568 


8,508 


.642 


7,333 


.553 


7,186 


.542 


18, 760 


1.42 


24, 580 


1. 86 


19,320 


1.46 


10,490 


.792 


7,875 


.594 


9,134 


.689 


7, 587 


.573 


7,473 


.564 


7,851 


.593 


11, 500 


0.871 


18,700 


1.42 


23, 600 


1.79 


22, 700 


1.72 


12, 000 


.909 


8.350 


.633 


6,620 


.502 



2.50 

2.62 

1.51 

.86 

.21 

.24 

1.03 

1.14 

.83 

.83 



1.58 
3,28 
1.68 
.926 
.678 
.660 
.634 
.740 
.617 
.242 



1.58 
2.14 
1.63 
.913 
.685 
.769 
.661 
.629 
.684 



1.00 
1.48 
2.06 
1.92 
1.05 
.71 
.39 



-3 R L 



34 



REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 

FLOW OF TEIBUTAEIES. 



Mr. Harman further summarizes the available records of flow on 
the Des Plaines, a northern tributary of the Illinois, and compares it 
with the rainfall from 1887 to 1898, as shown on Table No. 5 herewith. 
Table No. 6 is also presented, comparing the flow on the Des Plaines 
with that of the Illinois where the records overlap. It indicates that 
the average conditions upon the two rivers are quite similar as regards 
aggregate run-off. 

TABLE NO. 5— FLOW OF THE DES PLAINES RIVER BASIN ABOVE RIVERSIDE. 
From report of Illinois State Board of Health, Jacob A. Harman, C E. 



Year. 


Off- 
inches. 


On— 

inches . 


Per cent 

of rain 

running- 

off. 


Second- 
feet per 
square 
mile. 


1887 


13.18 
6.13 

10.38 
7.44 
3.08 
5.04 

14.05 

10.92 


29.13 
34.95 
29.03 
27.80 
30.48 
33. 74 
30.55 
37.74 


45.2 
17.6 
35.8 
26.8 
10.1 
15.0 
46.0 
29.0 


1.00 


1889 


0.45 


1893 


0.76 


1894 


0.55 


1895 


0.23 


1896 


0.38 


1897 


1.03 


1898 


0.81 






Averages.... 


8.777 


31.68 


27.7 


0.65 







TABLE NO. 6— COMPARISON OF RUN-OFF ON DES PLAINES AND ILLINOIS RIVERS. 
From report of Illinois State Board of Health, Jacob A. Harman, C E. 





Depth in Inches. 


Second-feet per square mile. 


Year. 


Des 
Plaines. 


Illinois. 


Illinois 
less canal. 


Des 

Plaines. 


Illinois. 


Illinois 
less canal. 


1893 


10.38 
7.44 
3.08 
5.04 
14.05 
10.92 


11.06 
4.49 
3.36 
8.16 
11.26 
12.01 


10.46 
3.89 
2.76 
7.56 
10.66 
11.41 


0.76 
0.55 
0.23 
0.38 
1.03 
0.81 


0.815 
.331 
.247 

.600 
.826 

.884 


0.769 


1894 


.285 


1895 


.201 


1896 


.554 


1897 


.780 


1898 


.838 






Averages 


8.48 


8.39 


7.79 


0.63 


0.617 


0.571 







MISCELLANEOUS ILLINOIS STREAMS. 

Table No. 7 is published by the Illinois State Water Survey, Series 
No. 11, Year 1914. It is a summary of the flow records obtained on 
Illinois streams by the State of Illinois in cooperation with the II. S. 
Geological Survey during the years 1905 to 1911, and a comparison of 
the flows with the rainfalls prevailing during the time of flow measure- 
ments. These streams with a few exceptions, are tributaries of the 
Illinois Eiver and are all on or adjacent to this watershed. The aggre- 
gate average flows of these streams for the period considered is as 



PLOW AND GAGE HEIGHTS— DAMS SUBMERGED LANDS. 



35 



shown — .82 second-feet per square mile of drainage area, which is 
equivalent to 10.9" of watershed depth per year, as compared to 7.86" 
for the Illinois Eiver at Peoria for the period 1890 to 1899; likewise 
upon the tributaries, 28.8 per cent of the rain that fell ran off through 
the streams as measured, as compared to 23.4 per cent upon the Illinois 
during the decade 1890 to 1899. 



TABLE NO. 7— SUMMARY OF RAINFALL AND RUN-OFF DATA IN ILLINOIS. 
Illinois State Water Survey— No- 11. 





• 

I 

e 

S3 
•o 

CD 

A • 

£8 
tag 


fl 
"So 

08 

to 

"o 

DO 

.2 

03 
ft 


1 

CO 

PI 

bC 

"o 

la 


Rainfall— ( monthly 
average). 


Run-off. 




Stream and location of gaging 
station. 


ft 

if 


CO 

si 

03 O 
o ft 


e 
t- . 

03 -H 

ft <5 

§a 
ft 


CD 
CO 

ii 

CO a> 

CD PI 

> o 

■< 


i 

o 
o 

CD 

a 

pi 


T3 

PI 
o 
o 

C9 

n 

a 
I* 

PI a> 


vS 

i 

8 

a> 
co 

PI 
03 
cs 


0> CD 
O CD 

9, *- 

<£ a 

OT s 

CD o< 
C3 

S3 <B 
> ft 
< 


2 
hi 

1 

o 

CD 


Rock River at Rockton 

Fox River at Sheridan 

Kankakee River at Momence 

Big Muddy River at Cambon 

Beaucoup Creek at Pinckney- 

ville . ... 


6150 

2170 

2430 

735 

227 
535 
1540 
390 

1030 
1980 
2680 

5220 
760 
335 

481 
550 
2560 
5000 

427 
459 


1903-09 
1905-06 
1905-06 
1908-11 

1908-11 
1909-11 
1909-11 
1908-11 

1908-11 
1908-11 
1908-11 

1907-11 
1909-11 
1908-11 

1908-11 
1908-11 
1908-11 
1909-11 

1908-11 
1908-11 


67 

9 

17 

37 

37 

21 
21 
39 

41 


3.01 
2.97 
3.12 
3.48 

3.37 

3.08 
3.18 
3.08 

3 37 


2.85 
3.02 
2.96 
3.37 

3.11 

2.99 
3.25 

2.99 

3.27 
3.22 
3.26 

3.39 
3.52 
3.39 

3.47 
3.05 
3.21 
3.09 

3.37 
3.01 


+ 5.6 

— 1.65 
+ 5.4 
+ 3.27 

+ 8.4 
+ 3.0 

— 2.2 
+ 3.0 

+ 3.1 
+ 5.6 
+ 7.1 

+ 10.0 

— 1.1 
+10.1 

— 6.1 

— 2.3 

— 1.3 

— 3.9 

— 2.96 

— 2.3 


16550 
5700 
6780 
2290 

685 
1470 
4390 
1070 

3100 
6030 
8380 

17500 
2370 
1100 

1400 
1470 
7250 
13300 

1250 
1210 


27100 
9780 
6960 

11000 

2170 
3650 
6210 
3870 

10600 
17720 
19900 

54400 
6620 
4030 

7760 
9280 
19200 
11000 

4140 
5840 


950 
240 
360 

...... 

100 

5.5 
3.5 
23 

162 

48 

.2 
1.6 
60 
432 

5 

1 


4790 
1810 
1980 
536 

98 
458 
1290 
378 

948 
1357 
2213 

5650 
641 
293 

357 

482 

2040 

3240 

340 
334 


0.78 
.83 
.81 
.73 

.43 

.86 
.84 
.97 

.92 
.69 
.83 

1.08 
.84 

.88 

.75 

.88 
.80 
.65 

.80 
.73 


28.9 
31.8 
29.2 
23.4 

14.3 


Embarrass River at Oakland. 
Embarrass River at St. Marie 
Kaskaskia River at Areola. . . 
Kaskaskia River at Shelby- 
ville 


31.0 
29.4 
35.3 

30 6 


Kaskaskia River at Vandalia 

Kaskaskia River at Carlyle. . 

Kaskaskia River at New 

Athens 


40 3. 40 
40 3.49 

54 3. 75 


22.5 
26.6 

32. 3 


Shoal Creek at Breese 

Silver Creek at Lebanon 

Skillet Fork, Little Wabash at 
Wayne City 


20 
36 

35 
41 
41 
16 

41 
40 


3.48 
3.75 

3.26 
2.98 
3.17 
2.97 

3.27 
2.94 


27.0 

26.6 

2,5.6 


Sangamon River atMonticello 
Sangamon River at River ton 
Sangamon River at Oakford. . 
South Fork Sangamon River 
at Taylorville 


32.8 
28.1 
24.4 

27,2 


Salt Creek at Kenney 


27.6 


Total 


35659 












103295 






29235 






Average 
















0.82 


28. 8 



























NORMAL RAINFALL OF ILLINOIS. 

Fig. 5 is a map indicating the normal variations in rainfall in the 
State of Illinois taken from the Illinois State Water Survey Series No. 
11, Year, 1914. It shows the progressively increasing rainfall from the 
northern to the southern end of the State, the upper watershed of the 
Illinois lying within a region having a normal rainfall of 30 to 35 
inches, the lower one-half of the watershed lying in territory where the 
normal rainfall lies between 35 and 40 inches. It has been noted that 
in the larger floods upon the Illinois River, the higher rainfall rates for 
the days on which the floods were produced, progressively increased 
toward the southeastern side of the watershed. 



36 



REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 




MAP 

ILLINOIS 

SHOWING 

AVERAGE ANNUAL 
PRECIPITATION 



LEGEND 

INCHES DEPTH 
□ 30 TO 35 

35 » 40 
40 - 45 
45 » 50 



FIGURE 5. 



FLOW AND GAGE HEIGHTS DAMS SUBMERGED LANDS. 



37 



FLOW OF THE CHICAGO DRAINAGE CANAL. 

Since 1848 the natural flow of the Illinois River has received some 
artificial replenishment by Lake Michigan water at Chicago — prior to 
January 17, 1900, through the operation of pumps at Chicago, for the 
water supply of the Illinois-Michigan Canal, and in the later years of 
that period, to promote the cleanliness of the Chicago River. Although 
the supply thus pumped was nearly or quite equal to the extreme low 
water flow of the Illinois River so far south as Peoria, the accession of 
water from this source was small compared to the aggregate annual flow 
of the river. Mr. Harman estimates the flow from the Illinois-Michigan 
Canal at 600 cubic feet per second for the 10-year period previous to 
1900. This is equivalent to .6 of an inch per year on the watershed 
above Peoria, or about 7 per cent of the average flow of the river at 
that place during the decade stated. 

Since January 17, 1900, the previous water conditions have been 
greatly changed through the flow of the Chicago Drainage Canal, which 
has averaged from 3,136 second-feet in 1900 to 7,185 second-feet in 
1913. The flow in the last named year is equivalent to 7.1" on the 
drainage area tributary to Peoria, which is about 87 per cent of the 
estimated average flow at that place during the decade immediately prior 
to the opening of the canal. It is equivalent to about 3.4" upon the 
watershed tributary to the mouth of the river; probably equivalent to 
about 40 per cent of the run-off of the prior decade at that place. 

TABLE NO. 8— FLOW OF THE CHICAGO DRAINAGE CANAL, 1900 TO 1914. 
Data from report on removal of navigation dams by L. E. Cooley— cubic feet per second. 



Months. 


1900 


1901 


1902 


1903 


1904 


1905 


1906 


1907 


January 


1,450 
2,315 
2,100 
2,728 
3,228 
3,226 
3,391 
3,576 
2,307 
3,450 
3,813 
4,227 


4,917 
5,060 
5,296 
4,427 
3,106 
2,903 
3,140 
3,932 
3,906 
3,840 
3,896 
4,114 


4,194 
4,204 
4,233 
4,165 
4,166 
4,071 
4,323 
4,204 
4,291 
4,155 
4,248 
5,352 


6,124 
5,750 
5,361 
4,638 
4,570 
4,812 
4,870 
4,532 
4,330 
4,545 
4,686 
5,570 


5,463 
5,170 
4,708 
4,946 
5,125 
4,100 
4,553 
4,573 
4,141 
4,004 
4,451 
5,067 


5,167 
5,527 
5,546 
4,737 
4,120 
4,124 
4,123 
4,290 
4,340 
4,510 
3,378 
3,919 


4,457 
4,626 
4,393 
4,507 
4,719 
4,420 
3,996 
3,429 
3,740 
5,221 
5,198 
4,907 


5,303 
5,467 
4,954 
4,954 
5,031 
5,539 
5,600 
6,250 
4,703 
4,205 
4,395 


February 


March 


April 


May ... 


June 


July 


August 


September. 


October 


November 


December 


5,005 




Mean 


2,989 


4,041 


4,302 


4,971 


4,693 


4,477 


4,471 


5,117 









TABLE NO. 


8— Concluded. 










Months. 


1908 


1909 


1910 


1911 


1912 


1913 


1914 


January 








5,720 
5,770 
5,565 
5,675 
5,837 
6.686 
7, 146 
6,927 
7,093 
7,385 
7,113 
6,542 


5,782 
5,525 
5,681 
6,340 
5,875 
6,363 
6,949 
7,142 
7,189 
7,060 
6,857 
6,298 


6,253 
6,074 
5,947 
6,238 
7,222 
7,684 
7,850 
8,390 
8,381 
7,943 
7,272 
7,075 


6,653 


February 








6,647 
6,235 


M ar ch '.'...'.'...'.'. 








April ... 








6,550 


May 








7,297 


June 








7,425 


July 










August 










September 










October 






6,660 
6,490 
5,512 




November 








December 


















Mean 


5,317 


5,667 


5,967 


6,454 


6,378 


7,193 









38 REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 

Table No. 8 is a statement of the average flow of the Chicago 
Drainage Canal in each month up to June, 1914, as stated in the report 
of Mr. Lyman E. Cooley, C. E., on the "Removal of the Navigation 
Dams of the Illinois River." The monthly flows are lacking for the 
years 1908 and 1909, and a part of 1910. The same information is 
shown diagrammatically upon Fig. 4 at the bottom of the diagram. It 
will be observed that the flow has gradually increased during the fifteen 
years that the canal has been operated. In the respective years the flow 
is nearly constant, but lately has been slightly greater in the late sum- 
mer months than the normal for the respective years. This probably 
arises from the desirability of greater dilution at the season when the 
sewage nuisance is likely to be most objectionable. 

EFFECT ON LOW WATER CONDITIONS. 

The natural run-off of the Illinois Basin occurs principally in the 
spring and early summer, whereas the water of the Drainage Canal is 
nearly uniformly distributed throughout the year. As would be expected, 
therefore, the low water conditions are the ones most markedly changed 
through the accession of the Lake Michigan water. It has been esti- 
mated that prior to 1900, there were periods when the flow at Peoria 
was as low as 1,000 to 1,200 second-feet. The flows less than 2,000 
second-feet were the rule rather than the exception for periods of from 
one to three months during the summer and fall. Fig. 4 illustrates 
graphically the changed conditions both in gage height and flow at 
Peoria, largely brought about through the accession of this additional 
water. Where gage heights at Peoria as low as 3 feet, frequently 
occurred prior to 1900, the lowest gage heights since 1901 have been 
7 or 8 feet, and within the past three years, not less than 9 feet. A 
part of this increase may have been due to greater natural flow. 

The additional water further shows its effect in less degree at 
other gages downstream, but has apparently practically lost its effect 
when Grafton is reached, for the lower water stages at Grafton have been 
substantially the same of late years as previously. Fig. 4 illustrates these 
effects at Peoria, the La Grange Dam, and Grafton. 

FUTURE DELIVERY OF DRAINAGE CANAL. 

The main channel of the Sanitary District has an estimated capacity 
of 14,000 second-feet, except for about one-quarter of its length, between 
Summit and Robey Street, which is subject to progressive enlargement. 
The original capacity of this section was about 8,500 second-feet, but is 
now undergoing enlargement. The Chicago River is being improved to 
produce 10,000 second-feet. With the Sag Channel tapping the Calumet 
River completed, also improvements now under way, it will be practicable 
to deliver about 14,000 second-feet to the Des Plaines River. 

The Secretary of War by virtue of the Act of March 3, 1899, 
refused to permit more than 4,167 second-feet to be drawn from the lake 
at Chicago, and in 1912, enjoined the Sanitary District from with- 
drawing a greater volume. The issues of this case are now in court. 



FLOW AND GAGE HEIGHTS — DAMS SUBMERGED LANDS. 



39 



The State law under which the Sanitary District was organized 
requires that the sewage of the district shall be diluted with lake water 
at a rate equivalent to 3,333 second-feet for each million of population 






FIGURE 5A. 
LaGrange Lock and Dam. 



in the district. The total population of the Sanitary District by U. S. 
Census 1910, was 2,311,810. A compliance with this provision in the 
law would require a flow of about 7,700 second-feet. 



40 



REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 



NAVIGATION DAMS. 

The Illinois River has been a highway of commerce from the earliest 
settlement of the country. For the purpose of maintaining low water, 
navigation dams and locks have been constructed at Kampsville, La 
Grange, Copperas Creek and Henry in the early days producing slack 
water navigation as far up the river as La Salle, the terminus of the 
Illinois-Michigan Canal. The dams at Henry and Copperas Creek were 
completed in 1871 and 1877 respectively, and were constructed by the 
State of Illinois. The dam at La Grange was completed in 1889, and 
the dam at Kampsville in 1893. These two dams were built by the 
17. S. Government. Table No. 9 shows some salient facts relating to 
these dams. Their locations are shown upon Fig. 6. They are also 
shown on several other maps. 

TABLE NO. 9— DATA OF ILLINOIS RIVER NAVIGATION DAMS. 





Kamps- 
ville. 


La Grange. 


Copperas 
Creek. 


Henry. 


Miles above Grafton 


31 
1893 
*421.9 
1,200 

8.93 

6.14 

2. 6 to 4. 

0. to 0. 2 


77 

1899 

432. 63 

819 

7.45 
5.60 
3. 2 to 4. 2 
0. to 0. 8 


137 

1877 

*439. 

640 

4.28 
2.38 
0.3 to 0.6 


196 


Year completed 


1871 


Crest level Memphis datum 


*443. 1 


Length of crest between abutments — feet 


540 


Head created under various water conditions, i. e, 
difference in water level immediately above and 
below dam and locks — feet — 


5.19 


Low water of 1901 


2.80 


Usual head at low water season past 5 years 

Usual head during high water months 


0. 6 to 1. 2 









* 423.9 prior to 1904. Several changes between 1904 and 1906. 
By scale profile of 1904 Survey U.S. Engineers. 

Under the water conditions prevailing at the time of their con- 
struction, these dams added materially to the navigability of the stream. 
Thus, during the low water season of 1894, the heads created, or 
increased water depth at each dam were as follows: 

Feet. 

Kampsville 8.93 

La Grange 7.45 

Copperas Creek 4.28 

Henry . / , 5.19 

In the low water season of 1901 (the lowest water since the opening 
of the Chicago Drainage Canal), the heads at the several dams were as 
follows : 

Kampsville 6.14 

La Grange 5.60 

Copperas Creek 2.38 

Henry 2.80 

The lowest water occurred between July 25th and August 18th, 
when the flow of the Chicago Drainage Canal was 3,140 second-feet in 
July, and 3,932 second-feet in August. This is about one-half the flow 
of the canal in 1913. 



IAV 




-f 











ii \ 
























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w^Jte^ 














Map Of 












JSr«™»« 












Ilunois Rivera Flood Plain 










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1& Accompany The Report Of 












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Alvord a Burdick 




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<J03l 



FLOW AND GAGE HEIGHTS DAMS SUBMERGED LANDS. 



41 



Fig. 7 shows the head at each dam on the first day of each month 
for the years 1910 and 1913, inclusive, and would serve to give a general 
idea of the heights prevailing in late years and throughout the different 



DlAORAM SHOWIM© 

Prevailing Heads at Navigation Dams 

on the First Day of Each Month 

I9IO TO 1913 

— 4* • •*- 
"Tfc Accomparv toe Rrpor+ of 
ALVORD jf BURPICK 
Btfpnccrs. 




YEARS 



FIGURE 7. 



months of the year. It will be observed that in the high water season 
of the year generally, the dams have practically no effect upon the water 
levels of the stream. During the low water season, the Kampsville and 



REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 



La Grange dams increase the water level immediately above same by the 
amount of 2 to 4 feet. At Copperas Creek and at Henry, the low water 
effect is less than 1 foot. 




Diagram Showing the 

Head at Dams 

AND THE 

Rise or Tail Water 

Cowparedto Low Water of 1894 

At the time of lowest 

water in each year 

To Accompany the Report of 

ALVORD &. BURDICK 
Engineers Chicago 

Note: 

— o— Indicates Wead,i.e. difference be- 
tween water surface elevations 
above and below cams 

— • — Indicates Rise in Tail Water level 
i.e. below the dam as compared 
to level in 1894 at extreme 
low water 



FIGURE 8. 



Fig. 8 shows the heads created at the several dams at low water in 
each year since 1894, and the elevation of the water surface at such 
times immediately below the dams. 



FLOW AND GAGE HEIGHTS DAMS — SUBMERGED LANDS. 43 

The effect upon water levels produced by these dams will grow pro- 
gressively less should the flow of the Drainage Canal be further increased 
in the future. 

BEMOVAL OF DAMS. 

Prior to the construction of the dams, consideration had been given 
to the project of improving the navigation of the river by the addition of 
water from Lake Michigan under open channel conditions. This scheme 
had been a competitor of the slack water navigation project as adopted 
and carried out. Since the construction of the dams, numerous projects 
have been studied looking toward the connection of the Mississippi Eiver 
and Lake Michigan by an improved waterway. Several engineering 
boards have given careful study to the matter for projects of various 
depths of draft under various assumptions, as to the amount of water 
that would be available from Lake Michigan. The projects most favored 
for a deep waterway, 14 feet or more, have contemplated the removal of 
all four of the existing dams in the lower river. (See appendix for 
recommendation of the Eivers and Lakes Commission regarding removal 
of dams.) 

SUEVEY OF 1902-1904. 

Under date of December 18, 1905, the Secretary of War transmitted 
to Congress the result of a study by a special board of engineers, relating 
to a navigable waterway 14 feet deep from the terminus of the Chicago 
Drainage Canal to the mouth of the Illinois Eiver, and thence by way 
of the Mississippi Eiver to St. Louis. This report was based upon an 
investigation, survey and study covering a period from September 18, 
1902, to December 12, 1905. The investigation included a topographical 
survey of the river valley presented upon maps to a scale of 1 inch to 
600 feet; contours of ground surface are shown at 1 foot intervals, and 
sufficient soundings of the rivers and principal lakes are shown in 
figures to form a fairly accurate conception of the under-water topo- 
graphy. Without these maps much of the study in the present report 
would have been impossible. The investigation further includes the 
tabulation of all available past gage height records. 

It is fortunate that the flood of 1904 occurred during this investi- 
gation. Although not greatest in height, this flood perhaps produced as 
high a flow rate as any previous flood on record. Numerous measure- 
ments were made at various places throughout the length of the river, 
and furnish an invaluable basis for estimates of the water conditions 
likely to result from the great changes in the flood cross-section occasioned 
by the more recent construction of levee districts, and the further con- 
struction thereof in the future. 

The original survey maps above referred to are presented upon large 
sheets, fifty-seven in number. For convenience in reference, lithograph 
maps were prepared upon a smaller scale iy 2 inches to one mile, pre- 
sented on thirteen sheets. The contour interval is 5 feet upon these 
maps. 



44 REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 



RATING CURVES. 



For many purposes in this report it is of use to know, at least 
approximately, the rate of flow that has prevailed in the river in times 
past at various places and under various gage heights. Accurate flow 
measurements of a large river are difficult to make and are expensive. 
It has been observed, however, that at most locations upon our streams, 
the gage height bears a more or less fixed relation to the rate of flow. 
This relation has been very extensively utilized in flow estimates of the 
rivers of this country, and has the great advantage, where conditions of 
flow prism remain practically constant over a considerable reach of the 
river, that information as to the relation of gage height and flow when 
once secured, can be applied to the gage records of the stream, and 
thus the flows can be estimated over a long period of time. 

At any observation station the relation of gage height to flow is 
approximate only, for the rate of flow will change with a change in the 
water surface slope, and this slope may vary considerably, especially in 
flood, by reason of the inequalities in water supply from the various 
tributaries of the main stream. 

Furthermore, the results from any gaging station will be accurate 
in proportion to the lack of influence from downstream interferences 
arising from the causes other than the rate of flow on the stream 
measured. For instance, the gage at Grafton at the mouth of the 
Illinois Eiver, might possibly be a good index of flow for the Mississippi 
at that place, but is influenced to only a minor extent by the water from 
the Illinois River. Likewise, the gages in the lower Illinois River are 
very largely influenced by the gage height and flow on the Mississippi, 
but the effect of the Mississippi decreases, and the effect of the flow on 
the Illinois increases as the Illinois River is ascended. It is probable 
that not until Peoria is reached the height of the Mississippi has a 
negligible effect upon the flow inference from gage height. 

It is customary to utilize the relation between gage height and flow 
at any particular place, by platting a diagram of gage height and flow, 
platting thereon each individual observation, and drawing a curve of 
average relation most nearly in accordance with the facts as disclosed. 
For accurate results it is important to have a large number of observa- 
tions well distributed along the curve. They will not always be 
concordant for the reasons above stated, but where a sufficient number 
of observations have been made, the curve drawn should represent with 
fair accuracy the average relation between gage height and flow. It is, 
therefore, a good index of aggregate flow, especially over a long period 
of unchanged river conditions, but is much less accurate when applied 
to individual flows. It furnishes the best means available of approxi- 
mating the flows at various times and places upon the Illinois River. 
We have examined all the data of flow measurements of the river that 
we could find. We have summarized this information in the form of 
rating curves at several salient points as shown upon Fig. 9, namely, at 
La Salle, Peoria, Havana, Beardstown and Pearl. At none of these 
places, except it be Peoria or Havana, are the flow measurements suffi- 
ciently extensive to draw deductions except within certain limitations. 
The information at these places, however, is useful so far as it goes, and 



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FLOW AND GAGE HEIGHTS DAMS SUBMERGED LANDS. 45 

is therefore deemed worthy of presentation. In the use of these data, the 
limitations of the downstream gages, particularly in reference to inter- 
ference from downstream, should be kept in mind. 



EATING CUEVE AT PEOEIA. 

The mouth of Lake Peoria furnishes, perhaps, as good a gaging 
station as can be found upon the river, the water as it were, falling over 
the lip of a weir at Peoria Lake, with a more rapid descent towards 
Pekin and below. Near this place a large number of flow measurements 
have been made, including measurements by the U. S. Engineers in 
1904, in connection with the waterway report; by the U. S. Geological 
Survey in 1903, 1904, 1905, and 1906, and also by Jacob A. Harman, 
C. E., in 1899 and 1900. Fig. 9 shows the measurements by these 
separate agencies, each by appropriate symbols. 

The measurements by Mr. Harman are particularly valuable in that 
they cover stages of water 3 feet lower than any of the more recent 
measurements. Fig. 9 shows two curves at Peoria. The long straight 
line represents the conclusions of Mr. Harman. His measurements were 
made at the lower wagon bridge. The measurements of the U. S. Geo- 
logical Survey and those of the IT. S. Engineers were made at the P. & 
P. U. Ey. Bridge, about one and one-half miles further downstream. As 
simultaneous gage readings are available at the two bridges, it is 
possible to transfer the measurements at the P. & P. U. Bridge to read as 
per heights at the wagon bridge, and as a long gage record is here 
available, we have thus transferred the P. & P. U. Bridge measurements 
in the rating curve presented. The full curved line represents the con- 
clusion of the U. S. Geological Survey and its dotted extension is our 
conclusion as to the flow at the higher gage readings. 

The flow hydrograph at Peoria shown at the bottom of Fig. 4 is 
based upon the Harman curve up to gage 7%? and for higher stages 
refers to the U. S. Geological Survey curve, as extended, 
elusion of the U. S. Geological Survey and its dotted extension is our 
conclusion as to the flow at the higher gage readings. 

SUBMEEGED LANDS. 

For numerous purposes in this report it is desirable to know approx- 
imately the amount of land submerged under various stages of the river. 
It is of significance in the consideration of several matters including the 
reduced river valley storage occasioned by the leveeing of farm lands and 
the consequent tendency to increase flood flow rates. It is useful in 
determining the extent to which reclamation will continue at various 
localities in the river valley, and it has a bearing upon the fisheries, for 
the flood waters and the flooded lands are important breeding and feeding 
grounds for fish. 

In order that reliable figures relative to this matter might be 
secured, the large scale topographical maps of the 1904 Engineer Board 
were planimetered at the low water plane of 1901 and at other salient 
water planes in general 5 feet apart, up to or slightly above the high 
water plane of 1844, the highest flood on record. 



46 



REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 

Elevation Above Memphis CKtum- Cat center of reach) 



CO > 











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S Gaqe ort Grafton 



IO. I.-J M K» ICP IjO l*S 'o '= '= l?5 "a '5 <5 'CS I® I3 "=j '5 I3 l» 



Corresponding stage on 
6aqe at Beardstown 



FIGURE 11. 



FLOW AND GAGE HEIGHTS— DAMS— SUBMERGED LANDS. 



47 



Elevation Above Memphis Datum— (orf center of reach) 
81 § a £ 



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48 



REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 



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49 



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50 



REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 



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Indicates flowage in natural river 



progress 



1904 and prior 
cotes flawage after construction 
~ existing anc' "" 
construction 



Acres Submerged by Illinois River 
at Various Stages 

Including Bed of River and Lake Beds 

Pekin Reach 

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ALVORD & BURDICK 

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valley before corvstrucnon of 
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B Indicates flowage after construction 
of levees as existing & ' " 
of construction in l< 

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A Indicates flowage in natural river 
valley Before construction of 
levees as in 1904 & prior thereto. 
Indicates flowage after construction 
R of levees as existing & in progrra 
of construction in 1914, 



Acres Submerged by Illinois River 
at Various Stages 

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Engineers Chicago 



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A Indicates flowage iri natural river 
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B Indicates flowage aHer construction 
or levees as existing & in progress 
of construction in 1914. 



Acres Submersed by Illinois River 

La Salle to Mouth 

UNDER 

Normal Variations in River Stage 

Including Bed of River and Lake Beds 



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ALVORD & BURDICK 

Engineers Chicago. 



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FLOW AND GAGE HEIGHTS — DAMS — SUBMERGED LANDS. 51 

For convenience the minutes of latitude were used to divide the 
river into convenient sections below Peoria. The sections were nearly 
all two minutes in width measured north and south, extending across the 
river valley, and were thus about 2% miles in dimension parallel to the 
general trend of the river valley. Curves of water area were drawn for 
each section in reference to the height of water surface above Memphis 
datum plane. 

NORMAL FLOW PROFILES. 

For practical purposes, it was necessary to combine these sections 
into groups more or less distinctive of the several reaches of the whole 
stream. As the slope of the water plane becomes of importance in com- 
bining several of the small sections, and further in view of the fact that 
it is a series of numerous sloping water planes that govern the water 
acreage at various gage' heights, it was thought that the information as 
to water acreage could be best expressed in terms of the gage height 
at some salient place such as Beardstown. For this purpose Fig. 10 
was prepared, which is intended to represent the normal gage height 
relation throughout the river from La Salle to Grafton, for river stages 
between the low water of 1901 and the high water of 1904. This was 
done by determining as nearly as possible, the average correlation of the 
various gages through platting a large number of observations of each 
gage against the simultaneous reading at Beardstown. 

The series of profiles thus represented, would not be expected to 
closely correspond to the profile in any particular flood, for the flood will 
vary in height upon the different reaches of the river in accordance with 
the varying contributions from the different tributaries of the main 
stream. Upon the average, however, the curves represent the composite 
of the conditions constantly recurring, and varying for local reasons 
from day to day above and below the water profiles represented. The 
slopes in the river valley, particularly on account of the dams, vary with 
stage, and for a given gage height at the foot of a certain reach, the 
acreage overflowed will vary with the slope of the water surface. It was, 
therefore, deemed important to determine a normal slope for each gage 
height in order that a normal or average acreage could be determined. 

CURVES OF FLOWAGE. 

Diagrams of water acreage at various river stages are presented in 
Figs. 11 to 19, inclusive. Two curves of acreage are shown, namely — 
first, (curve "A") the virgin river valley as it existed before levee 
operations were begun, or prior to 1904, and second, (curve "B") the 
water acreages at present with the levee districts as now completed or 
in process of construction. 

The acreages for the entire river from La Salle to the mouth are 
shown upon Fig. 19. At the left of the diagram, the elevation of water 
surface is shown at Beardstown, in reference to the Memphis datum 
plane, and at the right of the diagram, corresponding heights upon the 
Beardstown gage, and also the stage usually prevailing at Grafton for 
certain elevations at Beardstown. The stage at Grafton resulting from 



52 REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 

a given stage at Beardstown, will of course, vary widely, and the relation 
indicated is no more than an average relation. The relation will, how- 
ever, be usually roughly correct, for generally, rivers in the same locality 
are in greater or less degree of flood at the same season. 

The diagram is read thus: During the low water of 1901 the 
Beardstown gage read just under 6.75, corresponding to a Memphis 
datum elevation of 434. The total water acreage including the lakes and 
ponds was 77,000 as indicated by curve "A". Under present conditions, 
owing to construction of levee districts which has cut off numerous lakes 
from connection with the river at a similar gage height, the water 
acreage would be 68,000, (curve "B") the difference in the . acreages 
named representing the water surface reclaimed. It should be said that 
not all these lakes are drained, but they are enclosed within levees which 
make them inaccessible from the river, and many of the lake beds are 
farmed. With an elevation of 12.75 on the Beardstown gage, cor- 
responding to 440 feet Memphis datum, the area of the water surface 
from La Salle to Grafton would be 225,000 acres in the virgin river 
valley, and 152,000 acres as now partially reclaimed. Likewise, it will 
be noted that at an elevation corresponding to the flood of 1844, the 
acreage in the virgin river valley is 398,000, and as reclaimed, 249,000, 
assuming that the levees all extended above the 1844 flood water plane, 
which corresponds to elevation 22.5 on the Beardstown gauge. Fig. 11 
shows similar information in reference to that part of the river valley 
between Grafton and Kampsville dam. The elevations at the left of 
the diagram refer to the elevation in the center of this reach, and at the 
right of the diagram, the corresponding stage is shown at Grafton, the 
nearest governing gage, and also the usually corresponding stage at 
Beardstown. 

Fig. 12 shows the same information for the so-called Pearl reach, so 
named from the principal town thereon, and extending from the Kamps- 
ville dam to mile 52. (See mileage marked on Fig. 10.) In this reach 
of the river the farm land has been nearly all reclaimed. The acreage of 
water at the flood level of 1844 in the virgin valley was 47,200. A 
repetition of this flood height would produce an acreage of only 10,700, 
indicating that the flood water surface has been reduced nearly 80 per 
cent through the construction of levees. There is a similar reduction at 
all stages of water though not quite so great at the low stages. This 
reach is completely leveed and probably represents a maximum that may 
be used as a guide for estimating the future possibilities on the remainder 
of the river. An examination of the succeeding diagrams shows a less 
percentage of the land reclaimed in the upper parts of the river, except 
in the vicinity of Pekin where a little more than half of the bottom lands 
in the so-called Pekin reach has been reclaimed. Eeclamation above 
Pekin has not been extensive on account of the relatively small width of 
the bottom lands, and probably never will be as extensive as the operations 
in the lower river. 

Table No. 10 summarizes numerically the principal figures of 
acreage, and shows separately the acres in river bed, lake beds, and the 
land overflowed, under several stages of water. The land acreage as 
tabulated is the total water acreage after, deducting river bed and lake 
beds at the plane of low water in 1901. 



FLOW AND GAGE HEIGHTS — DAMS — SUBMERGED LANDS. 



53 











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PART IV. 

AGRICULTURE IN THE ILLINOIS RIVER VALLEY. 

Although the Illinois Eiver was one of the earliest highways of 
commerce, and some of the first cities of the State were built upon its 
banks, with a few important exceptions these settlements have not 
attained large growth. It is only where the railroads have crossed the 
river that important municipalities have grown up. The villages not 
having railroad connections have remained in population practically 
where they were at the time the western railroads were first built. For 
the most part, these cities, and indeed the villages, are well above the 
high water mark. The exceptions are the immediate water fronts of 
several cities, and a considerable portion of the city of Beardstown, 
which is located upon a knoll adjoining the river bank, which becomes 
an island in case of extreme flood. The exceptional floods invade the 
business districts of the city, covering the streets to a shallow depth. 
Therefore, so far as the cities are concerned, and the industries therein, 
the matters considered in this report are of relatively small moment. The 
river, its flow, its floods and its stages are of principal concern to the 
industries of farming and fishing. The relative importance of these two 
industries has an important bearing upon the control of river improve- 
ments. In the following pages we will endeavor to show the present 
status of agriculture, and in a separate part of this report will consider 
the matter of the fisheries. 

GEOWTH OF AGKICULTUKE. 

Agriculture in the bottom lands has been of comparatively recent 
development. Mr. Lyman E. Cooley, C. E., who has given much study 
to the river, describes it as follows: 

"The character of these bottoms was described in the first official examina- 
tion by Capt. Howard Stansbury in 1838. He describes the valley as from 
1 to 5 miles wide, deeply overflowed in every freshet, filled with bayous, 
ponds and swamps, and infested with wild beasts; clothed with dense vegeta- 
tion, and said it was 'a forbidden wilderness ever incapable of inhabitation 
by man.' General Wilson in 1867 gives his own description and quotes 
Stansbury, and he says, 'It may be true in part, but already cultivation has 
begun to encroach upon the higher bottom lands.' General Marshall in 1890 
also described the bottom lands, their character, and says that 'cultivation 
has extended over the higher bottoms; in fact, it extends everywhere they 
can get in seed before the floods begin.' He says, 'At about the 12-foot 
stage, the sloughs, ponds, the lakes and the lower part of the bottoms are 
filled; at a 16-foot stage, 80 per cent of all the lands that are ever flooded, 
are already covered.' " 

The bottom, lands on the lower reaches of the river are higher than 
those further north, and were cultivated earlier, but until the construc- 
tion of levees was begun, the cultivation was largely confined to the 

54 



AGRICULTURE. 00 

higher ground covered with water for only a short time, or in some 
years not at all. 

Although a few levees were built at an earlier date, the construction 
of levee districts as now existing, began only shortly prior to 1900. In 
1904, at the time of the survey of the IT. S. Engineers, less than half 
a dozen districts had been built. These being widely scattered, and 
most of them of small size, the interference to flood flow was not 
material. At the present time more than 40 per cent of the river valley 
has been reclaimed, and most of this work has been done since 1908. 

LEVEES. 

With but few local exceptions, the river follows the foot of the 
hills forming the west bank, the low bottoms lying to the eastward of the 
stream. The eastern bank is higher than the general level of the bottoms 
on account of the quick deposit of the sediment carried by the main 
stream in flood, as the rising waters pass landward. This provision of 
nature has been utilized to protect the farm lands from inundation by 




FIGURE 20. 
A New Levee Showing Extreme Irregularity of Much of the Dipper Work. 

levees which border the low water edge of the stream 300 or 400 feet 
landward therefrom, and usually following the stream until an important 
tributary is reached, thence following the bank of the tributary to the 
eastern highlands. At some places where the thread of the river is in 
transit between the eastern and western highlands of the valley, levee 
districts have thus been formed on both sides of the main stream, but 
the greater number of districts lie to the east thereof. 

The practice is common to construct these levees by dipper dredging, 
a floating dredge being used riding in a wet borrow pit or moat from 
which the excavated material is cast upon the bank forming a rather 
rough and irregular levee, and shown in the accompanying cuts, Figs. 



56 



REPORT ON" ILLINOIS RIVER. 



20 and 23A. It is common practice to use a borrow pit about 60 feet in 
width with a 10-foot berm between the borrow pit and the toe of the 
levee. The levees usually have a theoretical top width of about 6 to 8 
feet, and combined side slopes of from 4% to 5 on one. It is the prac- 
tice to place the borrow pit£ on the river side of the levee and to leave a 
space of 200 feet more or less between the borrow pit and the low water 
river bank. The trees and brush upon this space are left in place to 
serve as a "wave break" for the protection of the levee. 

A few of the smaller districts have no pumping facilities, but the 
great majority of the acreage is drained by pumps which operate at 
such seasons of the year as the river may be above the desirable water 
plane in the district. Many of the sloughs, ponds and lakes are drained 
and farmed, but a portion of the lowest of these depressions is com- 
monly used for the storage of excessive rainfall. 

GEOWTH OF LEVEE DISTEICTS. 

Fig. 21 is a scale drawing of the river valley and serves to picture 
the growth of the levee districts and the extent to which they have 
encroached upon the flood water plain of the river. Separate diagrams 
are shown illustrating the conditions in 1904, practically at the beginning 




FIGURE 21 A. 
Within the Levees. A Newly Reclaimed District. 



of levee construction, and the year of one of the greatest floods that has 
occurred upon the river. The black area indicates the extent of water 
surface in flood. Up to 1908 a few additional districts had been built. 
The third plat indicates the conditions in 1913, at which time another 
greater flood occurred, caused by the edge of the storm which did such 
tremendous damage in Ohio.. The fourth diagram represents the condi- 




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AGRICULTURE. 57 

tions during the summer of 1914, with districts under construction com- 
pleted. The last diagram shows the conditions as they may exist in the 
comparatively near future when all the districts now projected are 
completed. 

It will be observed that in the lower one-quarter of the river valley 
the flood plain width has been reduced nearly 80 per cent. 

EFFECT UPON FLOODS AND FISHERIES. 

It need hardly be stated that the restriction in the flood plain 
through the construction of levees must tend to produce greater flood 
heights under like flood flows. The reclamation of this land, and par- 
ticularly the lakes, has been detrimental also to the breeding and taking 
of fish, an important industry upon this stream. 

The extent of the effect upon floods and the detriment to the fish- 
eries will be hereinafter discussed. Our purpose in this section of the 
report is to show to what degree the agricultural industry is important 
as having a bearing upon remedies that may be applied to the control of 
the river. 

INSPECTION OF DISTRICTS. 

Although at present the State law requires a permit for the con- 
struction of levees and other structures upon public waters, and the 
most recently constructed districts have filed plans with the Rivers and 
Lakes Commission, the record of the operations within the valley was 
by no means complete, and to secure the data needed to determine the 
effects upon the levees, stream flows and other matters, and to determine 
approximately the commercial importance of agriculture within this 
valley, a careful investigation was found to be necessary. 

This examination included a three days' inspection of the stream 
from La Salle to Grafton, made by the undersigned in company with 
the Rivers and Lakes Commission and the Fish and Game Commission. 
Following this inspection, our representative examined nearly all the 
levee districts in person, first visiting all the county seats where the 
records of levee operation were on file, obtaining information on file at 
the court houses, calling upon many district commissioners, bankers and 
business men, and interviewing engineers who had designed or worked 
upon the levee districts. Having completed this examination and having 
completed a list of the districts constructed and in progress of construc- 
tion, he returned to Peoria, and by motor boat again passed down the 
river, stopping at each pumping plant along the way for the purpose of 
noting pumping equipment and supplementing information regarding 
the levee districts, where lacking. 

The data obtained from the county clerk's office usually included 
the boundary of the district as described in the court decree organizing 
the district, alterations of district made by subsequent decrees, acres 
assessed in the assessment roll, the area of each district if given, although 
this was usually not on record, the most recent annual assessments, the 
total of special assessments since the organization of the district, the 
amounts paid out for original construction, and the names of the com- 
missioners and engineers. The condition of the records differed mate- 



58 REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 

rially in different counties. Most of the counties have special drainage 
record books in which matters pertaining thereto are segregated. In 
some counties the records are in the miscellaneous records; some of the 
records are apparently incomplete. 

PEINCIPAL DATA OF LEVEE DISTBICTS. 

Table No. 11 herewith summarizes the principal data concerning 
all the levee districts of record, all the private districts that could be 
located, and so far as we could ascertain by inquiry locally, and from 
the engineers interested in such matters, the projected districts. 

For convenience, the districts are designated by name and referred 
to by number on Fig. 22 which indicates location. In general, the num- 
bers are consecutive from the mouth of the river upstream. 

A large number of the figures on acreage within the several districts 
were obtained from the engineers. A few values were found on maps 
or reports on record, and some were obtained by planimeter from maps 
of the districts or from maps of the Illinois Eiver valley. Areas de- 
termined by planimeter are so indicated on the summary sheet. 

So far as possible, the areas under cultivation in each district were 
estimated. This was not possible in the case of all districts. The totals 
at the bottom of the page, Table 11, assume that the districts upon which 
no figures were obtained vary as the average of the districts where esti- 
mates were practicable. Apparently about two-thirds of the acreage is 
now in cultivation, and about 90 per cent is susceptible to agriculture. 
The waste land for the most part is in the beds of deep lakes or occupied 
by the ditches and structures necessary for drainage and the utilization 
of the land. 

Areas in cultivation and acres cultivatable, we obtained by talking 
with persons familiar with the ground and comparing the same with the 
assessed area which would usually be equivalent to the useful land. 

INHABITATION. 

The number of dwellings and inhabitants within each district was 
obtained from people familiar with the area. For districts with less 
than ten dwellings, the reports are probably fairly accurate, but for 
districts of greater population, many of the answers received were evid- 
ently wild guesses. The results as a whole must be considered as approxi- 
mate. 

DATES OF CONSTEUCTION. 

In studying the behavior of floods during the last ten years, it was 
important to know the extent of river valley developments, and to this 
end careful inquiry was made as to the date of beginning and completing 
each levee. These dates were usually obtained from the engineers in 
charge, or from the commissioners of the district. In nearly all in- 
stances the dates were certain, and are probably as accurate as indicated 
by the figures in the tabulation. 

High water elevations as shown in the table are taken from all 
available gage readings on the river with interpolations between gages. 



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List of Levee Districts 


. 




Valley 


33 


Mud Lake-Proposed 






South Beartfcfbwn 


54 


Duck bland- Proposed 






Crane Creek 


5b 


Spring Lake 




Ekired p 


Coal Creek. 


Jb 


Banner 






*Clear Lake 


57 


Curnmings-Prlvate 


6 


K.eachor Fairbanks 2Z 


♦LyncVibUnj&ftungatror 


!8 


Pekin& La Marsh 






Hamm- Private 


!» 


Peoria - Proposed 






Big Lake 


40 


East Peoria 






VfeJ Fbint-Propssed 


41 


Proposed 




Scott County 


re 


W.Matanzas-Propajed 


4Y 


Partridge 




77 


Otter Creek 


4? 


Proposed 


12 


Mauvaisterre 


28 


Langellier 




Proposed 


1! 


Anderson LokeFVopo* 


29 


Lacey 


45 


Proposed 


14 


M s See Crwk 


TO 


SpoonSiver-Unorgarws 46 


Hennepin 


15 


Kerr -Private 


31 


<3hurte- Private 






16 1 Meredosia Lake |3Z 


Thompson Lake 








* Map •show? pe 


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Map of 

Illinois River Bottom^ 
Levee Di3trict$ 



To Accompany the Report of 

, ALVORD & BuRDlCK 
Engineers Chicago, 







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AGRICULTURE. 59 



LEVEE CEESTS. 



The elevations of the levee tops were obtained from the engineers 
for the districts in the great majority of eases. In a few cases this in- 
formation could not be secured. We were advised that in some districts 
the levees had settled and washed so that the effective height is less than 
the standard profile. It is said that there are instances where, owing to 
lack of inspection, the construction did not follow the plan at all places. 
It has been the usual custom to fix the standard profile for the levee top 
on a line paralled to the river, horizontal, that is, without allowing for 
the fall of the stream. As much of the work was done by dipper dredges, 
the profile was usually not accurately followed, but an effort was made to 
place sufficient excess material to allow for settlement, a reasonable 
amount of wash, and the ordinary inequalities of dipper dredging. In 
some of the districts the tops of the levees were smoothed with a drag 
after the materials had settled and weathered. 

SECOND INVESTIGATION. 

After the examination above described, and following a platting of 
the results, a comparison with flood profiles disclosed the need for fur- 
ther information. Accordingly, a second trip was made by launch from 
Peoria to the lower end of the levee system in February, 1915, at which 
time the river was in moderate flood and it was possible to land on the 
levees directly from the launch or by means of a rowboat. 

The investigator was equipped with a wye level. He landed usually 
at three places on each levee ; near the head, in the middle and near the 
lower end of each district. At each place he recorded the elevations of 
the levee tops for several hundred feet upstream and downstream from 
the point at which a landing was made. The levels were referred to the 
water level in the river prevailing at the time, and were reduced to 
Memphis datum by noting the stage of the river as indicated by the 
gages passed during the trip, interpolating between gages where neces- 
sary. 

The result of this examination is shown upon Fig. 23 on which is 
indicated the individual observations as to height, and a profile of each 
levee showing the general average height at various places between the 
head and foot of same. The standard grade for each district is indicated 
on the same drawing as reported by the engineers of the districts or 
others possessed of the information. 

The extreme variation in height noticeable in some of the levees is 
usually accounted for by some special circumstance, as the utilization of a 
railway embankment often materially higher than necessary to give the 
standard grade of protection, or in one or two cases, the inequalities 
resulting from work in increasing the height of the levees only par- 
tially completed. 

We were further advised that in some of the cases where the 
height appears to be much above the standard grade, this condition is 
accounted for by the use of a dipper dredge in the construction of the 
levee, and the necessity for excavating sufficient material to float the 
dredge, the excess excavation being thrown on the top of the embankment. 



60 



REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 



Most of the extreme low points noted occurred at pumping stations 
for short distances, the levees being left at low grade probably for con- 
venience in handling fuel from barges, doubtless with the thought that 
the height could be quickly increased in case of need. A number of 
other low points are occasioned by road crossings where the standard 
was not maintained for similar reasons. 

Although a slight error is introduced by referring these levees to 
Memphis datum by comparison with water levels, the extreme irregu- 
larity in these levee profiles would hardly seem to have warranted the 
connection of each levee to a standard benchmark. To have done so 
would have been impossible with the means available for this report. 




FIGURE 2 3 A. 
A Typical Pumping Station. Note, also, the Irregular Dipper Dredge Levee. 

PUMP CAPACITY. 

Pumping capacities where possible, were secured from the design- 
ing engineers. In some cases it was necessary to compute the capacity 
from the sizes of the pumps, and where this was necessary, it was done 
on the assumption of a discharge velocity of 10 feet per second. 



COST OF DISTRICTS. 
The figures as to cost were obtained from the special assessment 
record and the amounts paid out as on record, checked by consultation 
with commissioners and interested parties, to determine whether all 
assessments levied had been found, whether funds had been privately 
subscribed before any assessment was made, and whether amounts had 
been assessed but not used. On the whole, the costs are thought to be 
fairly accurate. For private districts, costs were hard to obtain as they 
are not on record. Some low values shown are for incomplete dis- 
tricts, particularly those not equipped with pumps. 



AGRICULTURE. 61 

ASSESSED VALUATION. 

The assessed valuations are based upon the record for 1913. How- 
ever, property is not divided on the limits of levee districts so that it 
was impossible to determine the exact assessed valuation. The method 
used was to refer to a map showing the boundaries of the district taken 
from the assessor's record or from the collector's record, the assessed 
value of each piece of property lying entirely within the district, and 
to make a fair division where properties overlap the boundary. 

FULL VALUE OF PROPERTY. 

The full value of land within districts was estimated by talking 
with landowners, bankers and people familiar with the areas. In gen- 
eral, the landowners were inclined to place a higher value on the land 
than bankers and disinterested parties. Most of the bottom land within 
the district is equivalent in productivity to the very best Illinois farm 
land ; but the cost of pumping and maintenance, the possibility of dam- 
age from high water, and the fewer improvements due largely to fear of 
overflow, are factors tending to reduce the value of the land below that 
of the less productive upland. The total value of the land in each dis- 
trict was computed from the average value per acre. 

IMPROVEMENTS AND CONDITIONS. 

Many of the districts visited had but few permanent improvements. 
The larger number of districts are comparatively new, and many are 
practically beginning their productive existence. For these newer dis- 
tricts the dwellings are principally temporary in character. Nearly all 
of the districts have good substantial pumping stations. There are very 
few improved roads. Where levees can be used for roads, fairly good 
highways exist, but in the bottoms considerable work is needed to put 
them in condition for use at all seasons. 

As would be expected, the older districts have the best improve- 
ments, especially those adjacent to Beardstown. 

CONDITION OF LEVEES. 

One criticism!, not applicable to all districts, is the lack of attention 
paid to the levees. The construction by dredge is undoubtedly the best 
method to employ for high levees, but this leaves the levees with the 
appearance of a miniature mountain range. The location of much of 
the levee work makes it difficult to obtain thorough and continuous 
inspection ; and in one instance reported, the inequalities in the elevation 
of the levee top gave the district 2 feet less protection than the plans 
intended, or the average material handled made possible. It is probable 
that similar conditions exist in other districts. 

As a rule, the levees are allowed to be covered with a rank growth 
of weeds. On one of the private districts the owner proposes to fence 
his levees and to pasture them. This would keep the surfaces exposed to 
view so that damage from burrowing animals or from other causes, would 
be readily noticed and the presence of cattle would tend to drive away 



62 EEPOET ON ILLINOIS PtlVER. 

pests. When the danger from poorly kept and poorly inspected levees is 
considered, this plan would seem to be worthy of consideration by all 
landowners. 

ESTIMATED PRODUCTIVITY OF AGRICULTURAL LANDS. 

So far as we were able to determine, there are no statistics from 
which the annual value of the crops can be computed for the Illinois 
River Valley. The most definite figures practicable are apparently based 
upon the improved acreage and the average yields so far as they may be 
determined. At the time that we examined the levee districts, an effort 
was made to secure as accurately as possible, the average crop yield on 
each. To this end, those likely to be most familiar with the local facts 
were consulted, including farmers, drainage commissioners, engineers, 
and where possible as a check, bankers in the adjacent towns. Corn is 
the staple crop on the bottom lands, but wheat is also produced. Stock 
raising has not yet become extensive. 

It is believed that fairly accurate figures were obtained from about 
one-half the levee districts in crop. Most of the corn yields range from 
40 to 90 bushels per acre, and the wheat yields 20 to 40 bushels. Those 
best informed are of the opinion that the bottom lands properly farmed 
should yield 50 to 60 bushels of corn per acre over a period of years. At 
the present time, the price of corn is abnormallv high. The estimates 
of yield that we secured were based upon a more normal price of 50 
cents for corn, with other grains in proportion. The crop yields per 
acre for fourteen districts, aggregating 61,000 acres as estimated by the 
best informed local people ranged from $18.00 to $50.00 per acre, the 
latter figure covering a small district, and averaged $26.20 per acre in 
cultivation. Some large well improved tracts are said to produce $30.00 
to $35.00 per acre, based upon 50 cents for corn. 

In 1914 the farmers received an average price of 70 cents for corn 
and 87 cents for wheat. At these prices large tracts yielded $30.00 to 
$45.00 per acre. 

At the present time about 113,000 acres are in cultivation or will 
be ready for cultivation this year. At $27.00 per acre, the annual yield 
would be $3,050,000. 

The land subject to cultivation is estimated at 157,000 acres. It is 
believed that within the next few years this land should be improved so 
as to produce about $33.00 per acre at average prices. This is equivalent 
to $5,200,000 per annum. 

With all districts now projected, assuming that the cultivable land 
will be in about the same proportion to the leveed area as in the districts 
now improved, the total cultivated area in the valley would approximate 
200,000 acres, which, if so improved as- to produce a gross return of 
$33.00 per acre, would produce a gross yield of $6,600,000 per annum. 

UNLEVEED LANDS. 

The acreage capable of crop without levees in that portion of the 
valley where levees do not now exist, is comparatively small, bordering 
the extreme high water line fairly closely. Below the La Grange dam, 
except for the land close to the mouth of the river, this acreage is a 



AGRICULTURE. 63 

narrow irregular strip on the slope of the hills. Above the La Grange 
dam there are 178,900 acres unleveed below the plane of the 1844 flood 
(land and water) and there are 45,600 acres lying above the plane 
reached in the flood season every year since 1900. There are 22,700 
acres flooded only one year in three. There are about 35,000 acres of 
land which has been free from water by May 1 since 1900, two years 
in three. A large part of this land has not been flooded since 1844. 

By no means all of the land is cleared that could be farmed, and 
no estimate is practicable as to the acreage in crop. If it is assumed 
that the whole of the 35,000 acres produces an average of $15.00 per 
acre, the yield of this land would be about $500,000 per annum. 

SUMMAKY OF AGKICULTUBAL VALUES. 

To sum up, therefore, in round figures, about 170,000 acres or about 
half the bottom land acreage below La Salle has been leveed at a cost of 
$30.00 per acre, or slightly over $5,000,000 ; that these lands today are 
valued at nearly $20,000,000, that they produce annually about $3,000,- 
000, and when fully cultivated should produce about $5,000,000 per year. 

When districts now projected are fully cultivated, the total yield 
of the leveed lands of the river should approximate over $6,000,000 per 
annum. 

The gross return from the unleveed lands above the La Grange dam 
probably does not exceed $500,000 per annum. 






PART V. 

THE FISHERY OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER. 

It is a fact not generally known that the fishery of the Illinois Eiver 
is the most important river fishery of the country^ excepting only the 
salmon industry of the Pacific Coast, and this is not, strictly speaking, a 
river fish. 

In the last U. S. Census, which covered the calendar year 1908, the 
fish taken commercially from the Illinois Eiver totaled 23,896,000 
pounds, returning $721,000 to the fishermen, at about three cents per 
pound. The river produced 62 per cent of the fish taken in this State, 
and over 10 per cent of the fresh water fish of the United States. 

The industry has grown from about 6,000,000 pounds taken in 
1894, to the maximum of nearly 24,000,000 pounds in 1908, since which 
time the catch has declined very rapidly. This growth and decline is 
attributable to a number of causes, among which may be mentioned the 
introduction of the German carp, the increase in waters brought about 
by the Chicago Drainage Canal, the effect of the accompanying sewage 
thereof, and the closing and reclaiming of the lakes which has taken 
place very rapidly since 1900 through the leveeing of lands and the 
isolation of such waters by hunting and fishing clubs. These causes, 
some tending toward increase and others toward decrease, are so inter- 
related and their combined effects are so important to the permanency 
of the fish industry as to warrant careful study to the end that, so far 
as possible, the beneficial conditons may be promoted, and the detri- 
mental conditions relieved in so far as this is consistent with the public 
welfare. It will be our endeavor to throw such light upon these matters 
as is possible with the existing data. 

GAME FISH. 

The Illinois Eiver bottoms are today, and have long been considered, 
the best game fishing grounds of the State, and also the best hunting 
grounds for water fowl, and while retention of these recreation grounds 
is warranted in so far as consistent with the development of the country 
and its citizens, the commercial importance of the fishery is concerned 
with the so-called game fishes to a relatively minor degree, for although 
they bring the highest price, the weight taken is relatively small. The 
game fishery, however, is of great importance to the sportsmen of the 
State, and is an important source of revenue to the towns along the 
river. Experienced observers estimate that the local communities receive 
approximately as much money by reason of the visiting fishermen as they 
do from the commercial fisheries. 

FOOD FISH. 

The principal value of the catch is in the Gierman carp, and until 
recently, the buffalo fish, neither of which is extensively used at present 

64 



FISHERIES. 



65 



by American born people, but which furnish an important and cheap 
food to people principally of foreign birth in the larger cities. Most of 
the Illinois Eiver fish is shipped to Chicago and New York. 

Taste in this regard is doubtless a matter of education, for to the 
European who understands the cookery of the carp and has become 
accustomed to it through generations of use, it is regarded as a great 
delicacy among all classes of people, even the nobility. In Germany par- 
ticularly, carp farming is well established as an independent industry, 
and has been practiced for centuries in much the same way that poultry' 
is handled upon the American farm. 

As yet, the food fish does not compel the price commensurate with 
its value as a food, carp selling in the American market at from 1% 
to 5 cents per pound, depending upon the season, and averaging about 
3 cents in return to the fishermen as compared to 10 to 12 cents for 
bass and pike-perch, and about half as much for whitefish and catfish. 
The German wholesale prices for carp are about equivalent to the Ameri- 
can price for bass, or from four to five times the present price of carp in 
this country. It will not be sufficient therefore, to measure the future 
possibilities of the Illinois River as a fishery by the present price of its 
product. The fish produced are certain to become more valuable, and 
particularly the so-called food fish. 

TABLE NO. 12— TABLE SHOWING TOTAL FISH CATCH— ILLINOIS RIVER— 1894-1908. 



I 



Year. 


Agency reporting. 


* Pounds 
offish. 


Cents 

per 

pound. 


tValue 
to fisher- 
men. 


1894 


United States Fish Commission 


6,037,378 
7, 252, 811 
9, 703, 798 
14, 006, 866 
11, 205, 516 
11, 899, 865 
10,779,582 
16, 149, 076 
14, 739, 000 
19, 270, 000 
23, 896, 000 


2.7 

2.85 
2.88 


$162, 450 
207,687 
279,482 


1896 


Illinois Fishermen's Association 


1897 


Illinois Fishermen's Association 


1899 


United States Fish Commission 


1899. . 


Illinois Fishermen's Association 


3.22 
3.27 


362, 246 
388, 876 


1900 


Illinois Fishermen's Association 


1903 


United States Commission 


1906 


Illinois Fish Commission 






1907 


Illinois Fish Commission 






1908 


Illinois Fish Commission 






1908 


United States Bureau of Fisheries 


3.02 


$721, 000 







* Pounds includes fish only. 

t Value includes turtles and miscellaneous products which are not weighed; this affects price per 
pound as given, slightly. Mussel shell products excluded in all figures. 
X Computed by deducting shells and pearls. 

GROWTH IN PRODUCTION. 

Table No. 12 shows the total fish catch, together with the value 
thereof, upon the Illinois River for such years as statistics are available. 
It includes the period 1894 to 1908. The table shows the agency gather- 
ing the statistics in each year for which figures are given. It will be 
noted that in certain years as in 1899 and 1908, different agencies 
present figures not entirely in agreement. The figures of the U. S. 
Fish Commission and the U. S. Bureau of Fisheries seem to be some- 
what larger than the figures of the Illinois Fishermen's Association and 
the Illinois Fish Commission in the years where comparisons are prac- 
ticable. All these figures refer to fish taken for sale, no account being 
taken of the very small catch used by the fishermen. All the statistics 

— 5 R L 



66 



REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 



are primarily based upon fish shipments/ and in view of the fact that 
there is more or less shipping from the minor to the major markets on 
the river, more or less duplication is probable in all the statistics herein 
given. It is believed that the statistics of the local Illinois associations 
probably represent the true fish catch more nearly than statistics pre- 
pared by the U. S. agencies. 

Table No. 13 shows the relation of the Illinois Eiver yield to that 
of the State and to the United States for the year 1908, in accordance 
with the figures of the U. S. Bureau of Fisheries as contained in the 
Census of 1910. 

TABLE NO. 13— GENERAL STATISTICS OF FISHERIES— ILLINOIS RIVER— STATE OF 

ILLINOIS AND UNITED STATES. 

United States Census for year, 1908. 

Value of Fish and Mussel Products Statistics for Illinois River— 

(to Fishermen)— Total value of catch $860, 000 

United States $8,329,000 Value excluding mussel products. . . 721,000 

State of Illinois (16 per cent of Persons employed (exclusive of 

total United States catch). . .... 1, 388, 000 shoremen)— 

Illinois River (62 per cent of State, Proprietors 1, 504 

10 per cent of United States)... 860,000 Salaried 6 

Wageearners 987 

2,497 

Capital employed $551, 000 

MEN AND CAPITAL. 

The table also shows the statistics of persons engaged in the fisheries 
together with capital invested according to available statistics. 

In 1908 more than half the fishermen of the State were on the 
Illinois Eiver (2,500 persons), and nearly two-thirds of the total capital 
employed in fisheries, ($551,000). 



TABLE NO. 14— TOTAL FISH CATCH— HAVANA MARKET. 



Year. 


Pounds. 


Per 

cent of 

total 

catch on 

river. 


Authority. 


1896 


1, 573, 298 
1,600,183 
1,830,291 
1,368,010 
2, 700, 000 
3, 800, 000 


21.7 
16.5 
16.3 
11.4 

18.4 
19.7 


Illinois Fishermen's Association. 


1897 


Illinois Fishermen's Association. 


1899 




1900 


Illinois Fishermen's Association. 


1907 


Illinois Fish Commission. 


1908 


Illinois Fish Commission. 






Average 


17.3 






3, 066, 658 
2, 223, 794 
2,221,930 
1,803,724 
1, 181, 151 
1,293,563 




1908 




R. E. Richardson. 


1909 




R. E. Richardson. 


1910 




R. E. Richardson. 


1911 




R. E. Richardson. 


1912 




R. E. Richardson. 


1913 (to October 31) 




R. E. Richardson. 









Note.— 1,593,000 pounds average 1896 to 1900 inclusive. 

STATISTICS SINCE 1908. 

There are no figures covering the entire river for the years subse- 
quent to 1908. The only figures that we were able to secure concern the 
shipments from Havana, one of the most important fishing points on 
the river. Table No. 14 shows these statistics for the years 1908 to 



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NOTE: Catch since 1908 based on Statistics for 
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tototalfer River remains constant, i.e. 17.3'/., 

which isthe average percentage DIAGRAM SHOWING 
from 1896 to 1908. GROWTH<% DECLINE 
OF 

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FISHERIES. 67 

1913 inclusive, as collected by Mr. E. E. Richardson of the State Bio- 
logical Station, Havana. For convenience in comparison, the Havana 
yields from the years 1896 to 1908, as reported by the Illinois Fisher- 
men's Association and the Illinois Fish Commission, are stated in the 
same table, together with the percentage that the Havana yield bears 
to the total fish catch of the river, as reported for those years by those 
agencies. From 1896 to 1908 Havana has produced not less than 11 per 
cent, and not more than 22 per cent of the Illinois Eiver yield, and has 
averaged 17.3 per cent. 

DIAGRAM OF TOTAL FISH YIELD. 

Fig. 24 is a diagrammatic representation of the total yield of fish 
on the Illinois River from 1894 to 1913. The last five years have been 
based upon the assumption that the shipments at Havana were equivalent 
to 17.3 per cent of the total yield of the river. This probably makes the 
apparent total yield somewhat too large, as the fish production at places 
further downstream suffered to a much greater degree during this period 
than have the Havana fisheries. 

This diagram serves to illustrate the gradually increasing yield in 
1894 to 1908 and its subsequent rapid decline. 

YIELD OF VARIOUS SPECIES. 

The reports of the Illinois Fishermen's Association are quite specific 
in regard to the kind of fish taken. From these data Fig. 25 has been 
prepared which shows the size of the catch for the leading varieties for 
the years 1894, 1897, 1900 and 1903, with the total catch for these 
years, and the same facts from the U. S. Fishery statistics for the year 
1908 so far as they differentiate as to kind. In the last named year 
the figure for the total and for carp only are given. The catch of buffalo 
fish has been estimated'' from figures by Mr. R. E. Richardson, showing 
the relation between, carp and buffalo for that year at Havana. 

It will be observed that up to 1908, the increase in the yield of 
the river is largely accounted for by the increase of the carp. The yield 
of buffalo fish, which was formerly the principal food fish of the 
Illinois River, gradually decreased up to 1908. Since 1908 the buffalo 
fish has almost wholly disappeared above the lower dam. 

It will be observed that the yield of varieties other than buffalo and 
carp also gradually increased up to 1908. No later statistics are avail- 
able, but the subsequent yield is known to have greatly decreased, as 
evidenced by the estimated totals in the diagram previously referred to. 

FISH PRICES. 

It will be very useful in correctly interpreting the importance of the 
Illinois Fishery, and especially in comparing it with foreign statistics, 
to present the data on local prices together with similar prices abroad. 
This information serves to account for the large returns reported from 
European fish farms, and they further serve to show the future pos- 
sibilities of the Illinois River Valley in the way of revenue produced by 
the fisheries. 



68 



REPORT ON" ILLINOIS RIVER. 



H 


■m 


i 


_:'. ' ^Lm®& " ---» 


^«***^"~" ^^V; •? 









FIGURE 2 5 A. 
Fish Market at Havana. 

Table No. 15 shows the average German prices for carp from 1891 
to 1905, both wholesale and retail. Table No. 16 shows the variations 
in the German price during the months of the year 1909. 

TABLE NO. 15— YEARLY AVERAGES OF GERMAN PRICES FOR CARP, IN CENTS PER 
POUND, WHOLESALE AND RETAIL, BERLIN, 1891-1905. 



Year. 


Whole- 
sale- 
alive. 


Whole- 
sale- 
in ice. 


Retail. 


Year. 


Whole- 
sale- 
alive. 


Whole- 
sale— Retail, 
in ice. 


1891 


16.7 
17.6 
15.1 
15.7 
16.3 
15.0 
16.8 
14.2 
14.8 


9.6 
9.8 
9.9 
9.9 
9.7 
10.0 
10.1 
9.9 
10.7 


18.0 

19.1 
18.2 
18.4 
17.9 
17.6 
18.5 
• 18.2 
18.1 


1900 .. 


15.0 
15.0 
14.4 
15.0 
15.9 
15.5 


10.4 
11.0 
10.3 
10.9 
10.4 
12.3 


18.0 


1892 


1901 


18.7 


1893 


1902 


18.2 


1894 


1903 


18.4 


1895 


1904 


19.0 


1896 


1905 


19.9 


1897 


Average 




1898 


15.53 


10.06 




1899 









Live carp sells at prices 54 per cent higher than dead. 

TABLE NO. 16— WHOLESALE PRICES FOR CARP, BY MONTHS, FOR 1909, AT THE FISH 
AUCTIONS IN THE CENTRAL MARKET HALL, BERLIN. 



Month. 


Alive- 
cents per 
pound. 


Dead- 
cents per 
pound. 


Month. 


Alive- 
cents per 
pound. 


Dead- 
cents per 
pound 




11.2 
11.1 
12.1 
17.9 
23.5 
22.5 


7.8 
10.5 
12.5 
11.1 
11.4 
12.3 




16.7 
18.5 
16.4 
15.4 
19.1 


12.2 


February 




11.4 


March " ."" 




11.8 


April 




11.4 


May 




13.6 




Average 




July 


16.7 


11.5 













Live carp average 45 per cent more than dead. 



FISHERIES. 



69. 



Table No. 17 shows the average price per pound paid to the fisher- 
men of the State of Illinois in the census year 1908, for fish of the 
principal varieties caught. 

TABLE NO. 17— CATCH VALUE AND PRICE PAID TO FISHERMEN. 
Principal Illinois fishes— figures represent total for the State— United States Census, 1908. 







Per 


Pounds. 


Dollars. 


pound- 
cents. 


530,000 


$ 57, 000 


.107 


1,714,000 


31,000 


.018 


3, 042, 000 


117, 000 


.038 


21,642,000 


574, 000 


.026 


2, 044, 000 


96,000 


.047 


1,281,000 


35,000 


.027 


1,370,000 


18,000 


.013 


666, 000 


20,000 


.03 


598, 000 


28,000 


.047 



Pounds. 


Dollars. 


402, 000 


$12,000 


238,000 


12,000 


14,000 


1,100 


14, 000 


1,500 


178, 000 


6,500 


281, 000 


6,400 


150, 000 


13,000 


14, 000 


800 



Per 
pound- 
cents. 



Black bass 

Sunfish 

Buffalo 

German carp 

Catfish 

Crappie 

Dogfish 

Sheepshead (drum) 
Lake herring 



Paddle-fish 

Yellow perch 

Pike and pickerel 

Pike perch 

Sturgeon 

Suckers 

Lake trout 

Whltefish 



.029 

.05 

.078 

.11 

.036 

.023 

.086 

.057 



Table No. 18 illustrates the variation in average wholesale price of 
carp in Havana, 111., and New York, with the retail price in New York 
for the calendar months of 1914. 

TABLE NO. 18— WHOLESALE AND RETAIL PRICES FOR CARP, HAVANA AND NEW 
YORK, RECENT YEARS (1908-1903) 

Data furnished by John Dixon, principal fish dealer, Peoria, January, 1914. 



Month. 



Paid to 
fisher- 
men, 

Havana. 



Received 

Havana 

shippers, 

on car lots 

to New 

York. 



Price, 

retail to 

consume^ 

New 

York. 



Month. 



Paid to 

fisher- 
men, 
Havana. 



Received 

xx by 
Havana 

shippers, 

on car lots 

to New 

York. 



Price, 

retail to 

consumer, 

New 

York. 



January. 
February 
March... 
April.... 

May 

June 



Cents. 
4 -5 
5 
3 
11-3 
1-1* 
1-1* 



Cents. 
5*-6 
7 -8 
41 
3-41 
21-3 
21-3 



Cents. 
15 up 
20 up 
About 15 
About 15 
About 15 
About 15 



July 

August 

September 
October. . . 
November 
December. 



Cents. 
1-21 
11-3" 
2-31 
11-3 
21-3 
31-5 



Cents. 
21-4 
3 -41 
31-5 
3 -41 
4-51 
5-61 



Cents. 
About 15 
About 15 
About 15 
About 15 
About 15 
About 15 



MUSSEL SHELL INDUSTRY. 

The statistics hereinbefore given do not include mussel shells or 
pearls. During the past ten years this has been an important industry 
on the Illinois, but has rapidly decreased of late, and is of relatively 
small importance at this time. It is regarded as an industry that 
attained large proportions through draft upon the accumulation of mus- 
sels of past years. The accumulation has been largely exhausted and 
the industry promises to be relatively unimportant henceforward. 



FACTORS AFFECTING THE GENERAL WELFARE OF FISHES. 

Before considering the reasons governing the recent increase and 
decrease of fish life in the Illinois River, it will make the discussion more 



70 REPORT ON" ILLINOIS RIVER. 

readily understood to outline as briefly as is consistent with a fair un- 
derstanding, the general conditions under which fish life tends to in- 
crease and decrease. Mistaken ideas in this matter are believed to have 
been responsible for unwise experiments in the propagation of fishes. Jt 
is no more to be expected that fish will thrive in a pure water simply 
because it is water and pure, than that human beings should prosper if 
turned loose in the Desert of Sahara with the thought that they would 
prosper because air is available, and that it is pure air. 

So far as the character of the water is concerned different varieties 
of fish thrive in waters of different clarity and cleanliness, but so far 
as concerns the fishes of the Illinois Eiver, this stream below Hennepin 
seems to be sufficiently clear and clean for the needs of fishes that have 
lately inhabited these waters, particularly the fishes commercially im- 
portant. 

For prosperity there is required : first, water of sufficient purity to 
furnish the necessary oxygen; second, an abundance of food; third, 
extensive breeding grounds where the eggs may be laid and the young 
hatched with a minimum of molestation; fourth, shallow waters where 
the younger fish may develop, and seek refuge; fifth, deeper waters 
where the more mature fish may lie, especially in winter; and, sixth, 
the means of travel from place to place as necessity arises in the life 
history of the fish, or as may be made necessary by increasing numbers 
and the scarcity of food. 

The food for the wild fish is dependent upon the richness or fer- 
tility of the water in a respect similar to the fertility of soils in the 
growing of food for man. Sterile water has the same inability to pro- 
mote aquatic life possessed by pure sand to produce agricultural products. 
Organic wastes as sewage, sufficiently diluted, furnish the basis for a 
whole train of invisible microscopic and minute animal and vegetable 
life, that, through numerous transpositions, furnishes the food for all 
varieties of fish and other water life as well, including the fishes feed- 
ing upon both vegetable and animal food, dead and alive. 

Eegarding the breeding and feeding grounds, Dr. Forbes makes the 
following statement:* 

"We learned a good many years ago — and this fact was first established 
in Illinois — that virtually all our young fishes, whatever their adult habits 
may be, lived at first on the same kind of food; all which hatch in like 
situations and at approximately the same time, consequently, compete with 
each other when they first begin to feed. We have learned that this first 
food — the minute plant and animal life of the water, called its plankton — is 
produced almost wholly in the backwaters. Although flowing streams often 
carry an enormous quantity of it, this mainly perishes presently in our great 
silt laden rivers. When, as in very low water in midsummer, the contribu- 
tions from the backwaters are reduced to a minimum, or perhaps wholly cut 
off, the plankton of the streams also falls off to little or nothing. Left to 
itself, indeed, even so slow a river as the Illinois, would virtually empty 
itself of plankton in a little while. The fish producing capacity of the stream 
is thus proportionate, other things being equal, to the extent and fertility of 
the backwaters accessible from it and contributing to it at the hatching time 
of fishes. The plankton content of a stream at that time is in fact an excel- 
lent index to the productive capacity of the waters as a whole." 



* The work of the Illinois Biological Station, read to the Central Branch of the American Society of 
Zoologists at Iowa City, April 8, 1910. 



FISHEKIES. 71 

"There is a notable harmony between time of highest flood in our great 
rivers, the spawning time of the bulk of our fishes, and the climax period in 
the development of the plankton. All coming together or following one 
another in quick succession as they normally do, conditions are as favorable 
as possible for a large stock of young fishes. The longer the period and the 
larger the scale of the spring overflow, the better is the prospect for a heavy 
annual contribution to the population of the stream. To this, no doubt, is 
due the fact, clearly indicated by our recent river work, that the plankton 
product of the Illinois system has been greatly increased by the opening of 
the drainage canal from Lake Michigan and the consequent raising of the 
average level of the river by about three feet, this rise of river level, of 
course, resulting in a very widespread and longer continued overflow." 

The welfare of fish life further requires the deeper waters, not less 
than four or five feet, and perhaps deeper, well below the reach of ice, 
in which fish may lie, particularly during the winter. These places 
must be of sufficient extent in proportion to the amount of aquatic 
animal life, so that sufficient oxygen will always remain available. 
Doubtless the deep places in the river may be utilized for this refuge 
where the current is sufficiently slow, but to make such refuge fully 
useful, the lakes would necessarily be connected with the river at all or 
most seasons of the year. In the main the channel of the river, excepting 
its shallow borders, seems to be principally a road of travel from, place to 
place. With the lakes reclaimed, the stream would be much less pro- 
ductive of fish life. The feeding and breeding grounds would be too 
small as compared to the deep water acreage. 

The commercial fishes are caught in nets and seines in which the 
size of mesh is regulated by law, and certain requirements are exacted 
in reference to the returning of small fish to the stream. It is doubtless 
a fact that many fishes not taken are destroyed or so injured that they 
afterwards die in the operation of seining, and there are people who 
claim that such operations are detrimental to fish life. It is, however, 
held by those in position to know, that the taking of mature fish is bene- 
ficial to the fish yield and that there is probably no better means of se- 
curing the fishes of proper size than to seine or net them. It is undoubt- 
edly true that the maximum yield will be secured by taking the fish 
immediately upon a reasonable maturity for much the same reason that 
beef animals are slaughtered at the age of two or three years, for like 
the farm food animals, the fishes mature most rapidly in early life, after 
which the gain in weight is small in proportion to the food consumed. 
Therefore, waters must be well fished to produce the maximum yield. 

There are practical difficulties in the way of fishing the main chan- 
nel of the Illinois Elver. This is especially true since the opening of 
the Chicago Drainage Canal, through the increased water levels occa- 
sioned thereby, and the flooding of trees and brush upon the banks. At 
present there are few places to land nets. The taking of fish is done 
principally within the lakes, although large quantities are caught in the 
river, using so called "nets," that is, fykes or hoop nets. 



FACTORS AFFECTING THE INCREASE AND DECREASE OF 

FISHES. 

With the above brief outliue of the matters principally affecting fish 
welfare, it will be useful for our purpose to enumerate in so far as they 



72 REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 

may be measured, the causes that have been operating recently, tending 
toward the growth and decline of the Illinois River fishery. Among 
these factors may be mentioned the introduction and growth of the Ger- 
man carp, the probable increase in fish food occasioned by the Chicago 
sewage, and the increased water levels and water acreages occasioned by 
the added flow from Lake Michigan. The factors tending toward re- 
duced yields include the decreased breeding and feeding grounds brought 
about through the reclamation of the lakes and swamps, the decreased 
fishing grounds from the same cause, and the lakes owned and controlled 
by fishing clubs, and in the upper river, the only partly decomposed 
Chicago sewage which has driven the fish from the places where it is 
most objectionable. 

Doubtless the most important factor in the increased fish yield 
prior to 1908, has been the German carp, and as there is some miscon- 
ception in the public mind as to this fish and its value, it will be useful 
to quote somewhat at length from the statement of Dr. Stephen A. 
Forbes and Eobert E. Eichardson, contained in their volume, "The 
Fishes of Illinois, " published by the Natural History Survey of Illinois. 
These men have closely studied the Illinois water life for many years. 
The quotation is as follows: 

THE GERMAN CARP. 

"The carp, which is native in China, was introduced into Europe as early 
as 1227 (Hessel), and was first brought to England at the beginning of the 
sixteenth century. The first successful introduction of carp into the United 
States was made in 1877, when R. Hessel, for the U. S. Fish Commission, 
brought 345 carp to this country. Of these, 227 were of the mirror and 
leather varieties, and 118 were scale-carp. All were put into ponds at Wash- 
ington, D. C, and multiplied rapidly, more than 12,000 young being dis- 
tributed in 1879 to more than 300 persons in 25 states and territories. From 
that time distribution rapidly increased until a few years before its final 
discontinuance in 1897. 

"The introduction of carp into the waters of Illinois began with the first 
distribution (1879), and in 1880 scaled carp to the number of 800 were 
received from the U. S. Fish Commission. In 1881 and 1882 a total of 2,500 
more carp were received and distributed by the Illinois Fish Commission, the 
distribution being mostly made in lots of only ten to a single person. In 
1885 the first carp were planted in public waters, a total of 30,900 being set 
free in the Illinois, Fox, Sangamon, Des Plaines, Kaskaskia, Little Wabash, 
Big Muddy, and a few other streams. In 1886 the first large carp was caught 
in the Illinois River, a specimen 30 inches long being taken at Meredosia — 
probably escaped from some pond which had received a consignment from 
one of the early distributions. In 1887 about 16,000 more carp were planted 
in the public waters of the State. Between 1888 and 1890 reports of the 
capture of carp of considerable size increased in number, particularly from 
points along the Illinois River, and by 1892 this fish had multiplied to such 
an extent in the waters about Havana that more than 3,000 pounds were 
taken from Clear Lake in a single haul. A year earlier Bowles had begun 
to ship carp from Meredosia. By 1898 the multiplication and utilization of 
carp had increased to such an extent in this State that Captain John A. 
Schulte, of Havana, wrote: 'From the information I can get as an official of 
the Illinois Fishermen's Association from all points along the Illinois River, 
the carp have brought more money than the catch of all the other fish 
combined. Long live the carp!' Carp are now found very generally dis- 
tributed over the State, being most common, however, in the Illinois River 
and in our other larger and more sluggish streams and lakes and bayous 
connecting with them. They are not yet very abundant in southern Illinois. 



FISHERIES. 73 

The carp catch of the Illinois River alone now reaches six to eight million 
pounds a year, valued at more than $200,000. 

"Three races of carp are distinguishable: (1) the regularly-scaled form, 
which is nearest to the native type of the domesticated races; (2) the mirror 
carp, which has the body partly bare, with but two or three irregular rows 
of large scales along the back; and (3) the leather-carp, which is scaleless, 
with a thick, soft, velvety skin. Many local German races of carp, of no 
interest here, have been described. .Although the first importation of carp 
by the U. S. Fish Commission contained a greater proportion of the mirror 
and leather races than of the scaled carp, the former did not thrive except 
under domestication, and today there are few mirror or leather carp living 
in a wild state in American waters. 

"Carp prefer moderately warm water, not too deep, and with plenty of 
aquatic vegetation. They will live in almost any situation, thriving in waters 
of all degrees of turbidity and contamination. They are very hardy under 
extremes of temperature, and are easily resuscitated after freezing. Carp 
shipped from Havana, 111., to New York City by freight arrive alive provided 
the gills are kept moist by melting ice. Although of lazy habit, resting much 
of the time on the bottom, they are wary, and are particularly quick to find 
a way out of a net, or to jump over it. They are omnivorous feeders, taking 
principally vegetable matter, but insect larvae, crustaceans and mollusks, and 
other small aquatic animals as well. They often pull up the roots of tender 
aquatic plants while feeding. Cole (1905) found them feeding at all times of 
day. They apparently seek deeper water in winter, where they remain semi- 
torpid, taking little or no food. 

"Carp spawn in the northern United States in May and June. The eggs 
are small and exceedingly numerous, 400,000 to 500,000 being a common 
number in a 4 or 5 pound female. They spawn most frequently during the 
early hours of the morning. One large female is ordinarily accompanied by 
four or five males. Five or six hundred eggs are emitted at a time, the? 
oviposition being accompanied by much splashing on the part of both sexes. 
The eggs are scattered about, according to Cole, adhering to roots and stems 
and other objects. In moderately warm weather the young hatch, in this 
latitude, in about twelve days. The young carp reach a length of 4 to 6 
inches by the end of the first summer, and attain a weight of about 1 pound 
in twelve months. By the end of the second summer a weight of about 3 
pounds may be reached, this depending upon their nourishment. They first 
spawn in the spring of their third year. Carp in our waters do not ordi- 
narily reach more than 5 to 10 pounds weight, although occasionally speci- 
mens have been taken weighing as much as 30 pounds. In Europe, double 
the latter weight is said to have been reached in one or two instances. 

"The carp lends itself more readily, perhaps, than any other fish to the 
requirements of artificial culture. The rearing of carp is a very ancient 
practice, a treatise on the subject by a Chinese dating from the third century. 
In this country it has practically been discontinued since the species has 
multiplied on such a vast scale in our natural waters. However, the adapta- 
bility of the carp to confinement is still taken advantage of in certain locali- 
ties, especially in the Great Lake region, in the use of retention ponds, in 
which large numbers of the summer catch are held over to get the advantage 
of the winter market. 

"Carp bite readily on such baits as worms, liver, paste, and bread 
crumbs, and in fact will take nearly any except live bait, and they are not 
lacking in game qualities when hooked. They have long been valued by 
English anglers, but are not much thought of by the American sportsman 
of the newer school." 

EFFECT ON OTHER FISH. 

"Among fishermen and anglers in America the carp has both its partisans 
and its enemies. However, it is coming more and more to be believed that 
its good qualities more than overbalance the other side of the account, the 
most serious of the charges against it appearing to rest on uncertain or 
gratuitously assumed premises. These charges have been, in brief, that carp 
roil the water and spoil the breeding and feeding grounds of other fish; that 



74 



REPORT ON" ILLINOIS RIVER. 



they eat the spawn of other fish and prevent the nesting of such species as 
bass and sunfishes; that they spoil the feeding grounds of water birds by 
eating and rooting up the wild rice and other aquatic plants; and that they 
are of no value either as a food or a game fish. With regard to the first 
charge it appears doubtful if the damage is serious in waters already as 
muddy as those of the Illinois and Mississippi rivers. Carp do not naturally 
seek out clear and cold waters to defile them, and they would probably in no 
case be serious competitors of such fish as trout and small-mouthed bass. 

"The second charge, if true, is a much more serious one; but few direct 
observations bearing on this point have been made. The common form of the 
argument, that 'carp eat spawn, as shown by the simultaneous rapid increase 
of carp and decrease of fine fish,' is not supported by the statistics of the 
fisheries of the Illinois River." 

TABLE NO. 19— COMPARATIVE STATISTICAL DATA, ILLINOIS FISHERIES, INCLUDING 
ALL RIVERS AND LAKE MICHIGAN— TOTAL PRODUCTS INCLUDE MUSSEL SHELLS 
AND TURTLES. 



Year. 



Number or 
pounds. 



Value. 





Year. 


Pike 


1894 
1899 






1908 


Sturgeon 


1894 




1899 




1908 




1894 
1899 






1908 


Sunfishes 


1894 




1899 




1908 


Wall-eyed pike. . 


1894 




1899 




1908 


White, yellow 




and rock bass. 


1894 




1899 




1908 


Perch 


1894 
1899 






1908 


Turtles 


1894 
1899 






1908 


Mussel shells 


1894 




1899 




1908 


Illinois River, 




total products . 


1894 




1S99 




1908 


Lake Michigan 




dist., fisheries 




product. 


1908 



Number or 
pounds. 



Value. 



jMen employed 

Equipment 

Fisheries prod- 
ucts 

Black bass 

Buffalo 

Carp 

Catfish 

Crappie 

Sheepshead 

Eels 

Paddlefish 



* 1,653 
*2,341 
*4,359 



11, 537, 000 

29, 668, 000 

74, 620, 000 

97, 000 

126, 000 

532, 000 

5, 817, 000 

4, 051, 000 

3, 042, 000 

860, 000 

9, 896, 000 

21, 642, 000 

1, 962, 000 

1, 570, 000 

2, 044, 000 
168, 000 
356, 000 

1, 281, 000 

1, 113, 000 

610, 000 

666, 000 

44, 000 

29,200 

31, 000 

136, 000 

195, 000 

402, 000 



$ 156,000 
188, 000 
553, 000 

333, 000 

616, 000 

1, 436, 000 

8,000 

11,000 

57, 000 

146, 000 

112, 000 

117, 000 

21, 000 

244, 000 

574, 000 

82, 000 

69, 000 

96, 000 

7,700 

14,400 

' 35, 000 

26, 000 

17, 700 

20,000 

2,700 

1,600 

1,800 

2,600 

6,200 

12, 000 



26, 000 

22, 500 
14, 000 
87, 000 

159, 000 

180, 000 

420, 000 

259, 000 

281, 000 

206, 000 

543, 000 

1, 714, 000 

77, 000 

28,900 

14, 000 

157, 000 

167, 000 

13, 000 

28, 500 

20, 000 

238, 000 

*99, 000 

682, 000 

511, 000 

f24 

f2, 500 

f20, 000 

3,000 
7,000 

23, 000 



1, 176, 000 



8 1,600 
1,387 
1,100 
2,200 
3,970 
7,300 
9,900 
7,800 
6,400 
5,200 
12,000 
31,000 
5,100 
1,800 
1,500 

7,200 

5,600 

1,100 

616 

556 

12, 000 

3,200 

14, 500 

21, 100 

700 

43, 000 

184,000 

162, 009 
382, 000 
860, 000 



58, 000 



* Number. f Tons. 

t In 1908 more than half the fishermen of the State were on the Illinois River (2,500 persons), and 
nearly two-thirds of the total capital employed in fisheries ($551,000). 

In reference to the last paragraph of the above quotation, the 
statistics of the Federal investigations in the years 1894, 1899 and 1908 
are significant. Dr. Forbes has abstracted these figures as shown in 
Table No. 19. The statistics cover the entire State of Illinois. It will 
be observed that during this period the total fisheries product increased 
in the ratio of about 6% to 1, the carp increased at the rate of about 25 
to 1, the black bass 5% to 1, crappie, paddlefish, sturgeon, sunfish and 
perch increased at the ratio of from 8 to 1 to 2 to 1 ; catfish, and white, 



FISHERIES. 75 

yellow and rock bass substantially holding their own, while buffalo fish, 
sheepshead, eels, pike and suckers decreased. The buffalo, formerly the 
principal food fish of the river, markedly decreased, the catch of 1908 
being only half that of 1894. This was very much more than made up 
by the increase in carp. Forbes and Richardson are further quoted as 
follows : 

"If these records show anything at all it would seem to be that the 
competition of the carp as spawn-eater and water-soiler has not seriously 
affected many of our Illinois River species. It is by no means improbable 
that causes entirely apart from depredations and competition of carp may 
have had a large influence in producing the recent decrease of buffalo and 
drum. Among such causes may be mentioned increased contamination of 
waters from municipal and industrial sources; the obliteration, by drainage 
and diking, of backwaters used as spawning grounds; and the increased 
rapidity of runoff from the prairie and upland, as a result of tiling and the 
cutting of the forests, affecting the extent and duration of the spawning 
havens afforded by both swampy areas and small streams. To these causes 
is to be assigned the decrease and approximate disappearance of such minor 
species as pickerel and lake sturgeon, which were never very abundant in 
the rivers in question, and which began to fall off in numbers long before 
the carp entered the field. 

"It is not denied that carp will eat fish spawn; but it has not yet been 
shown that they seek out spawn for the purpose of consuming it. Black 
bass, crappie, and sunfish are doubtless able to defend their nests against 
carp in any case. Certainly the devouring of spawn has not affected the 
multiplication, as shown by the output, of any of these three species, or of 
suckers or catfishes. That even a favorable effect of the multiplication of 
the carp is not impossible is evident when it is remembered that the myriads 
of young carp offer an almost inexhaustible supply of food to the growing 
bass, crappies and sunfish. The drum and buffalo, which have decreased, are 
in their food habits more directly in competition with the carp, being chiefly 
bottom feeders, utilizing mollusks, crustaceans, and insect larvae. 

"Of the third charge little can be said. While it is admitted by all 
competent to judge that carp do uproot vegetation in large quantities, no 
means are at hand for comparing the effect of this destruction on the decrease 
of water birds with the effects of the operations of the hunters themselves. 
Since 1900 the problem has been complicated in the case of the Illinois River 
by the effect of the increased flow from Lake Michigan, which has diminished 
vegetation in many areas." 

In further reference to the decrease of certain species, Dr. Forbes 
is further quoted as follows:* 

"The cause of this notable decrease in several of our most important 
native fishes I am strongly disposed to find in excessive fishing due to the 
enormous multiplication of carp, which is now more important as a fisher- 
man's fish than all the other fishes of the stream put together. This has 
necessarily stimulated fishing operations until they have become too active 
for many of our common native species. If we want to keep these valuable 
fishes up to the normal standard, we must evidently take special measures 
to that end. Indeed, we have found some remarkable evidence of over- 
fishing at certain local points, especially in Meredosia Bay. This has been 
seined so steadily and generally that fish resorting there have been pretty 
well cleared out, and the animal life of the bottom, upon which fish depend 
largely for their food, has also been very largely destroyed. 

"Another cause of the failure of many of our native fishes is believed 
by my field assistants to be a lack of practicable fish-ways in the dams at 
La Grange and Kampsville. As our fishes migrate as a rule upstream for 
their breeding operations and downstream as the water falls in summer, any 
barrier to their upstream movement necessarily diminishes the stock above 
it. These lower Illinois dams are under the control of the War Department, 

* Unpublished notes on conference between the Illinois State Game and Fish Conservation Com- 
mission and the Director of the Natural History Surrey, Urbana, 111 , November 11, 1913 . 



76 REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 

over which your commission has, of course, no control. On the other hand, 
if the essential facts are authoritatively obtained and laid before that depart- 
ment, the trouble will no doubt be looked after promptly. However, the 
problem of a satisfactory fish-way has not yet been finally solved. It is now 
under investigation by the Bureau of Fisheries, and the U. S. Commissioner 
tells me that tie is sending a man to Europe to study the latest developments 
there, where some improved fish-ways are said to be in very successful use." 

CONTAMINATION AND FISH FOOD. 

Eeference has previously been made to the contamination in the 
Upper Illinois Eiver through the sewage of the city of Chicago and its 
double effect; first, its effect in increasing the available fish food, and 
second, its effect in making the upper waters of the river uninhabitable 
for fishes. Fortunately the last named effect has not yet seriously in- 
vaded the best fishing grounds of the stream. Dr. Forbes treats these 
effects together in the notes last above referred to, as follows: 

"We have noticed in all our upper river work that, where the stream is 
heavily polluted, this does not have the effect to kill the fishes which belong 
there. Indeed, I believe we have never seen a dead fish in the Illinois River, 
evidently killed by foul water. On the contrary, this merely creates condi- 
tions which fishes are intelligent enough to avoid. Fishes brought into the 
sanitary canal by the inflow from Lake Michigan, and thus subjected to the 
action of the sewage where they cannot escape from it, practically all perish 
before they reach the Illinois River; but in that stream itself fishes offended 
by the pollution of the waters simply withdraw into streams, sloughs, and 
lakes connected with the main river until this becomes tolerable to them 
again. The assistant in charge of my Illinois River operations, Mr. R. E. 
Richardson, tells me that he has often seen carp in Mazon slough, near 
Morris, come down in the morning in large numbers to the mouth of the 
slough, and line up there at the edge of the river as if anxious to enter it 
but afraid to do so. Once in a while a fish ventured out a foot or two into 
the polluted current, but immediately returned. In the normal movements 
of our river fishes upstream during the breeding season, they simply stop 
short or turn back upon their course, when they come to unwholesome water 
in the main river. Similarly, when they fin,d themselves shut out from their 
usual breeding grounds by drainage operations, they evidently continue their 
journey until they reach satisfactory locations. 

"It is thus that we may explain the evident concentration of fish popula- 
tion of the river in the central part of its course — a section of the stream 
which, with its overflow lands, is able to maintain, at least for a time, a 
much larger population than would otherwise have been possible, by reason 
of the more extensive overflow, the larger size of the lakes, and the longer 
continuance of high-water stages since the opening of the drainage canal. 

"We have found, by a careful comparison of the product of these waters 
(Thompson Lake) in the minute plant and animal life called the plankton, 
that the river at that point contains about two and a half times as much 
plankton per cubic yard of water now as it did before the drainage canal 
was opened. In other words, we have a very large increase in the amount 
of the water and a great increase also in the amount of plankton produced. 
As this plankton product is an index of the quantity of fish food produced 
in the stream, these facts, as you will see, have a direct bearing on the 
statement just made with regard to the continued productivity of the river 
as a whole and the increased product of its central section. 

"There is another factor which we must take into account. The Chicago 
sewage comes into the river at its upper end in a raw state — not available, 
that is, as a food for fishes. It is rapidly decomposed in the upper part of 
the stream in midsummer, and in its decomposition it takes the oxygen out 
of the water, but becomes itself converted into what we call nitrites, and 
then into nitrates, in which latter stage it becomes available food for plants 
and indirectly food for animals, and these in turn are food for Our river 



FISHEKIES. 77 

fishes. This process of the conversion of raw sewage into available food is a 
gradual one, progressing downstream at various rates according to the stage 
of water and the temperature at the time; but I have a good deal of reason 
to suppose that by the time the water has reached the central section this 
conversion process is practically complete, and that here, consequently, this 
added food becomes generally available for the sustenance of fishes. I am 
undertaking right now to test the correctness of this supposition by collect- 
ing several series of water samples from selected points the whole length of 
the river at different stages of water and at different seasons of the year, to 
be analyzed at the University by the assistants of the Water Survey of the 
State, which cooperates with me on these chemical inquiries. I have indeed 
already a large lot of samples of the bottom sediment or slime of the river 
and the adjacent lakes, in form for chemical analysis; and by next spring I 
shall be prepared to give you much more definite information upon these 
points. If I am right in this matter, the central section of the river and 
the waters connected with it may be regarded as a huge stomach in which 
the organic matter contained in the Chicago sewage is digested, assimilated, 
and worked up, in considerable measure, into the flesh of fishes for our 
consumption." 

Although one year's study has indicated a large increase in the 
plankton of the river, it is not to be inferred that the fish food has in- 
creased in the same ratio, for the plankton is a minor element in the 
food of fishes, most of which feed upon or near the bottom and very few 
of which use the plankton beyond their youngest stages. 

The organic nitrates which are the basis of the plant and animal life 
of the stream, have apparently not increased per unit of water, but it 
is fair to state that in bulk the quantity of nitrates is much greater on 
account of the greater flow of the stream. 

It would seem that the inference that a larger bulk of fish food is 
now available is a fair one. 



EFFECT OF INCREASED WATEE LEVELS. 

The increased water levels that have prevailed in the Illinois Kiver 
since 1900 have obviously tended to greater water areas and greater 
areas of land submerged during the breeding season of the fishes. 

Prior to 1904 very little had been done in the reclamation of farm 
lands, but thereafter the reclamation was rapid as has been previously 
outlined in the part of this report discussing agriculture, and more par- 
ticularly, the diagrams Fig. 11 to Fig. 19 illustrative of the acres sub- 
merged at various water stages. 

COMBINED EFFECT OF INCREASED WATER LEVELS AND 

RECLAMATION. 

Fig. 26 indicates: first, the yield of fish from the Illinois River, 
based on tabular data previously herein presented; second, the greatest 
water acreage that has prevailed in each of the past years, 1894 to 1915, 
and third, the water acreage that was equaled or exceeded for about half 
the time in each of the several years enumerated. 

The curves of acreage take into account the reduction in the flooded 
land occasioned by the levees constructed principally subsequent to 1904. 

It will be noted that the yield of fish has fairly well kept pace with 
the prevailing water acreage. Throughout most of the period con- 
sidered, the yield has been approximately 100 lbs. of fish per acre of 



78 



REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 



water surface, prevailing for about half the year. Since 1910, the yield 
per acre has apparently been smaller, but the data of fish yield for the 
years since 1908, is perhaps too uncertain to warrant the conclusion that 



Diagram Showing 

Relation of Tish Yields 

TO 

Water Acreages 

Considering Prevailing Water Stages 

Land Reclaimed by Levees 

"To Accompany Report of 

Alvord & Burdick 

Engineers Chicago 

Note = Acreages, unless otherwise stated, include River Bed. 










































u_ 
o 

3 

too 

d 

z 
z 

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1895 1900 1905 !9 

Years 


10 





FIGURE 26. 



the yield of fish has fallen off more rapidly than the reduction in acre- 
age, although the data tends to point toward this conclusion. At the 
bottom of the diagram we show the area of lakes at the low water plane 



FISHERIES. 



79 



of 1901, platted from Table No. 20 herewith submitted. It seems to us 
questionable whether valuable deductions can be drawn from the com- 
parison of the fish yields with the low water area of the lakes, especially 
the low water areas at a fixed datum plane such as 1901. The area in 
lakes at this plane has always been substantially constant prior to about 
1904. There was a slight decrease in the lake acreage between 1904 and 
1908, and a more rapid decrease between 1908 and the present time. 

TABLE NO. 20— TABLE SHOWING ACREAGE IN LAKES— ILLINOIS RIVER VALLEY 
BEFORE THE CONSTRUCTION OF LEVEES AND THE ACREAGE AS REDUCED IN 
SUBSEQUENT YEARS THROUGH CONSTRUCTION OF LEVEE DISTRICTS. 

All areas based on the low water plane of 1901. 





Miles of 
river. 


As existing in the— 


Description of reach. 


Virgin 
v alley 
before 
levee 
construc- 
tion — 
acres. 


Year 
1904— 
acres. 


Year 
1908— 
acres. 


Year 
1913— 
acres. 


In 1914, 
includ- 
ing 
projects 

being 
built— 

acres. 


When all 
projected 
districts 
are built 
— acres. 


Grafton to Kampsville Lock. 

Kampsville Lock to Mere- 

dosia 


31.5 

39.8 
26.0 
75.6 
24.1 
27.4 


2,710 

7,720 
5,770 
24, 220 
1,870 
7,050 


2,710 

7,700 
5,520 
24, 220 
1,870 
7,050 


2,710 

5,950 
5,180 
24, 180 
1,870 
7,050 


2,150 

2,450 
3,880 
20, 280 
1,870 
6,140 


2,170 

1,360 
2,060 
18, 130 
1,740 
6,140 


2,170 
930 


Meredosia to Browning 

Browning to Mossville 

Mossville to Henry Lock 

Henry Lock to La Salle 


2,060 
14, 130 
1,150 
2,440 


Grafton to La Salle 


224.4 


49,340 


49, 070 


46,940 


36, 770 


31, 600 


22,880 



When the present levee projects are completed, the "leveed-in lake 
areas" will aggregate 40 per cent of the acreage originally existing. 
When all projected districts are built, about 55 per cent of the lakes 
will be cut off from the river. In view of the fact that the fishes breed, 
to a large extent feed, and are taken by the fishermen mainly in the lakes 
or from overflowed marshes, it does not require a lengthy argument to 
show that levee construction is detrimental to the public fishery. 



FISH YIELD BY DISTRICTS. 

Table No. 21 shows the yield of fish in pounds for the various por- 
tions of the Illinois River. This data is taken from the statistics of the 
Illinois Fishermen's Association and the Illinois Fish Commission, 
which distributes the fish according to the shipping points. The infor- 
mation, therefore, serves to show approximately what parts of the river 
have produced various quantities of fish under the changed circumstances 
of recent years. 

An examination of this table in connection with Table No. 20 
which shows the water acreages divided into the same reaches as covered 
by the table of fish production, indicates that in the lower portion of 
the river where the land reclamation has been most extensive, the 
growth in the fish production between 1896 and 1908 was smallest, and 
that the largest growths in yields occurred in the middle portion of the 
river where few levees had been built up to 1908. 



80 



REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 



TABLE NO. 21— STATEMENT OF FISH SHIPPED FROM THE ILLINOIS RIVER FOR THE 
YEARS 1896, 1897, 1899, 1900, 1907, 1908. 



Name of shipping 
point. 



Miles 
above 
Graf- 
ton. 



1896 

From the 

report of 

the Illinois 

Fisher- 



tion — 
pounds. 



1897 
From the 
report of 
the Illinois 
Fisher- 
men's 
Associa- 
tion — 
pounds. 



From the 
report of 
theillinois 
Fisher- 
men's 
Associa- 
tion- 
pounds. 



1900 


1907 


From the 


From the 


report of 


report 
of the 


the Illinois 


Fisher- 


Illinois 


men's 


Fish 


Associa- 


Commis- 


tion — 


sion- 


pounds. 


pounds. 



1908 

From the 

report 

of the 

Illinois 

Fish 
Commis- 
sion- 
pounds. 



Grafton 

Hardin 

Kampsville. 



Columbiana — 

Pearl 

Montezuma 

Florence 

Harris Landing. 

Blue Island 

Valley City 

Naples 



Meredosia... 
Beardstown. 



Browning 

Bluff City 

Bath 

Havana 

Liverpool 

Kingston Mines 

Pekin 

Pekin and Copperas 

Creek 

Peoria 



Chillicothe 

Chillicothe and Lacon. 

Lacon 

Sparland 

Henry 



Putnam 

Henry and Putnam. . . 

Hennepin 

Bureau 

Hennepin and Bureau 

Creek 

Depue 

Spring Valley 

La Salle 



Total weight- 
pounds 

Total value 

Price per pound.. 



0.0 
21.2 
32.0 



32.0 
41.9 
50.2 
55.6 
56.1 
58.1 
61.6 
65.6 



71.3 

88.7 



97.3 
105.5 
111.0 
120.1 
128.0 
145.5 
152.9 



196,300 

61,400 

240, 050 



186,500 

67, 500 

223, 050 



497,750 



477, 050 



190, 000 



190,000 



138, 000 



190, 000 



328,000 



277, 000 
1,678,280 



171, 000 
1,436,600 



1,955,280 



1,607,600 



520,500 



270, 200 

1,573,298 

137,515 

11,368 

410, 000 



1,103,700 
153, 700 
207.500 

1, 600, 183 
190, 180 



200, 160 



162.7 



180.5 



931,400 



2, 124, 540 



3,854,281 



5,579,963 



255,500 



189.1 
189.1 
196.0 



203.0 



150, 000 
"245," 656 



564,650 



650,500 



564,650 



207.5 
210.0 



56,580 
"28,"420 



938, 000 



212.5 
218.3 
224.5 



168, 230 
171, 825 
61,390 



85, 000 



1,339,445 



7,232,811 

$207,687.22 

$0. 029 



9,896,708 

$279,482.07 

$0. 027 



199,900 
214, 000 
381, 250 



795, 150 



247,400 



176, 600 
222,550 



646, 550 



310,500 
1,789,600 



2, 100, 100 



869, 700 
160, 100 
282,570 
1,830,291 
210,680 



567,390 
2,104,940 



6,025,671 



1,092,700 



1,092,700 



530,000 



166,330 
162,625 
88,390 



947,345 



11,607,516 

8362, 246. 77 

$0. 031 



262, 100 
163, 210 
595, 420 



1, 020, 730 



37,600 
397,000 

93,050 
296, 100 
172, 500 

15,000 
179,500 
363,500 



1, 554, 250 



581,990 
1,385,470 



1,967,460 



862, 150 
412,490 
368,800 
1, 368, 010 
152,930 



773,i 



1, 240, 070 



5, 178, 140 



765,800 
"136*566 



388, 760 



1, 285, 060 



155, 130 



287, 000 
76,410 



518,540 



11,524,180 

$388,876.40 
$0,034 



322,000 
50,000 
375,000 



747, 000 



280,000 



40,000 
17,000 



337,000 



500,000 
1,800,000 



2,300,000 



1,400,000 



1, 500, 000 
2, 700, 000 



2, 800, 000 



1,500,000 



5,900,000 



275,000 



75,000 
700,000 



1, 050, 000 



120,000 

"42,' 666 



11,000 



232, 000 



405,000 



14, 739, 000 



360,000 
120,000 
425, 000 



905, 000 



325,000 



62,000 
22,000 



409,000 



684, 000 
1,950,000 



2,634,000 



1,700,000 



1,900,000 
3,800,000 



3,400,000 



2,800,000 



13,600,000 



350,000 



102, 000 
750,000 



1,202,000 



L 75, 000 



56, 000 



19, 000 



270, 000 



520, 000 



19, 270, 000 



THE POSSIBILITIES OF FISH CULTURE COMPARED WITH 
ILLINOIS RIVER YIELDS. 

To fairly measure the fish productivity of the Illinois River and 
to gain- an approximation of future possibilities, it will be useful to com- 
pare the yield of our stream with the fish yields in some foreign coun- 



FISHERIES. 



81 



tries where fish culture has been studied and practiced. Most of the 
available experience has been gained in Germany and Austria, although 
fish culture has been extensively practiced in Japan and in China for 
centuries. 

ILLINOIS RIVER YIELD, 1908. 

In order that we may have a yardstick to measure the foreign expe- 
rience, it will be useful to set down the Illinois River yield as per U. S. 
Census for the year 1908. Table No. 22 shows the figures for 1908 in 
total and per acre of water surface under various conditions, from the 
low water of 1901 to the high water of 1904. It will be well to keep in 
mind that 1908 was a banner fishing year, the total product being more 
than twice the average of the ten or fifteen preceding years. The cause 
was probably the long continued high water of that spring and several 
springs preceding during the breeding time and the most important 
feeding time of the fishes, coupled with the low water in the fall, which 
gave the fishermen an extraordinary chance to harvest their crop. 

TABLE NO. 22— YIELD OF ILLINOIS RIVER FISHERIES (EXCLUSIVE OF MUSSEL 
SHELLS AND PEARLS) YEAR 1908. 





Pounds. 


Value to 
fishermen 

at three 
cents per 

pound. 


Total (by United States Census) 


23, 896, 000 
106,700 

317 

510 

152 

186 
67.5 

85 


$721, 000 00 


Per mile of river (La Salle to Grafton — 224) 


3, 220 00 


Per acre of river lakes and ponds, at plane of low water of 1901, excluding lakes 
within agricultural levee districts (75, 430 A.) 


9 58 


Per acre of lakes and ponds at plane of low water of 1901, excluding lakes within 
agricultural levee districts (46,940 A.) 


15 40 


Per acre of water normally prevailing about one-half the year in river ponds and 
lakes (i. e. 10 feet on Beardstown gage) based on the virgin river valley 
as with no levees (157,000 A.) 


4 60 


Per acre of water normally prevailing about one-half the year in river ponds 
and lakes (i. e. 10 feet on Beardstown gage) excluding area of river (128,510 
A.) 


5 61 


Per acre of flood water, 1904, flood plane (358,740) 


2 01 


Per acre of land and lakes flooded, 1904, flood plane (280,910) 


2 57 







It is further significant to note that in the natural river and its 
connected waters, the acreage varies widely with the stage of water, and 
hence with the season of the year so that it is unfair to fish farming to 
compare low water acreages in the rivers and lakes with the product of 
artificial ponds where the acreage is constant, for in the river and con- 
nected waters, the wild fish breed and feed over areas tremendously 
larger than prevail at low water. To base the acre yield of fish on the 
low water area of the Illinois River is like basing the live stock yield 
on the farm upon the area of the barnyard. The true measure of the 
wild fish yield should be based upon an acreage somewhere between that 
at low water and flood. For comparison with acre yields in agriculture, 
the yield of the river must be compared with the acres of land that could 
be reclaimed and hence, practically the area of land above the low water 
plane frequently flooded, excluding the channel of the river at low 
water and possibly some of the lakes. 

Table No. 22 shows the Illinois River fish yield for 1908 in pounds 
and value, together with the vields per acre on various surfaces from low 
— 6 R L 



82 



REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 



water to high water. It will be observed that the yield of fish was 
$2.01 per acre of flood water in the flood of 1904, and $15.40 per acre of 
lakes and ponds at the low water plane of 1901. It was $2.57 per acre 
of land and lake beds flooded in 1904, excluding the low water channel 
of the river. 

FOKEIGN FISH YIELDS. " 

Actual figures on foreign fish }delds are difficult to secure; little 
authentic information is published in English. Through the assistance 
of the State Laboratory of Natural History, a search in the German pub- 
lications has furnished data which are summarized in Table 23. This 
table includes a few data of actual yield and a few summarized conclu- 
sions of foreign observers believed to be well informed. A column is 
shown of gross return in fish per acre of pond surface. The last column 
in the table shows the equivalent yield per acre based on the average 
price of Illinois fish for 1908, which was about 3 cents per pound. This 
is about one-fourth or one-fifth of European prices. 

TABLE NO. 23— SUMMARIZED DATA ON FISH YIELDS IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 



Pounds 
per acre. 



Cents 

per 

pound. 



Gross yield 
per acre. 



Gross 
yield per 
acre 
three 
cents 
pound. 



2. 



1. A German pond fishery with 202 acres in ponds- 
artificial feeding. Carefully operated— Fischer ei 

Zeitung, 1907. Product almost entirely carp 

E. Walters' estimate of the yield of carp per year in 
Germany without feeding or manuring from ponds 
laid dry over winter — Fischerei Zeitung, 1907 — 
On poor uncultivated land, bog or otherwise 

sterile bottom 

On sour and bad meadow land, alder swamps 

and mud holes 

On good meadow land 

On first class ground 

A recorded yield from wild waters, Germany. A pond 
or lake, 8.83 acres, with hard sandy bottom, depth 
9 feet, containing a varied assortment of wild fish— 

Fischerei Zeitung, 1908 

Yield of cloister ponds in Jutland, Denmark. Four 

national ponds; fish not fed. (F. Z., 1910) 

Unusual yield of carp in small pond culture, Japan, 
heavily fed. 225 acres in very small ponds. Fisch- 
erei Zeitung, 1907 

Statement as to German yields, Zeitschrift Fur 
Fischerei, 1897— 

Small fish ponds not unusual 

If ponds are fed from wastes of farm or an 

entire community— pounds of carp 

Village of Kraschnitz, 10 acres product in year, 



Known cases by feeding and the use of newer 
rational methods 



252 



43.5 



174 

348 



1,778 



267 to 334 



14.8 



*10.1 

10.1 
10.1 
10.1 



3.5 



$37 20 



4 40 

8 80 
17 60 
35 20 



25 40 

62 23 

30 00 to 40 00 



71 00 
100 00 



$ 7 55 



1 30 

2 61 
5 22 

10 44 



45 51 



53 40 



8 02 to 10 00 
t21 30 
t30 00 



* Average price for carp in Germany, 1907. 

t Assuming German price to have been 10 cents per pound. 

Although some remarkable yields are shown up to $100.00 per acre 
per year at foreign prices, the German experience, which seems to be 
more conservative and accurate, seems to give promise of not more than 
from $35.00 to $40.00 per acre at the German prices, and from $7.00 to 
$10.00 at the American prices now prevailing. The greatest fishing year 
on the Illinois Eiver seems to compare quite favorably with these figures. 



FISHERIES. 



83 



THE YIELD OF A FISH FARM. 

As bearing upon the future possibilities in the Illinois River val- 
ley, it is instructive to quote the somewhat detailed figures of one com- 
mercial fish farm in Germany as shown in Table No. 24. It will be 
observed that 202 acres of water surface divided into 52 ponds, with a 
total investment of $29,094, including land, returned gross $37.30 per 
acre at an annual cost including four per cent on the investment of 
$27.15 per acre, leaving a net profit of $10.15 per acre. The net return 
on the investment exclusive of interest was 11 per cent. 

It is instructive to note that the overseer received only $432 per 
year and that the total expense for labor was only $1,140 ; further, that 
the average price received for fish was about 13.6 cents per pound. At 
present American prices for labor and for fish, the yield from this farm 
would have been very much less than the running expenses. Where suit- 
able ponds exist, however, or can be cheaply constructed on land not 
otherwise useful, as is the case in many of the levee districts of the 
Illinois River Valley, it is possible that intelligent fish culture as an 
adjunct to farming can be made practicable. It is understood that ex- 
periments along this line are now being made by farmers in the valley. 
It would be well if their efforts in this direction could be so supervised 
by the State that the experiment is fairly tried. 

TABLE NO. 24— FINANCIAL STATEMENT OF A GERMAN POND FISHERY FROM THE 
FISCHEREI ZEITUNG, 1907, P. 517. 
Area of water surface 202 acres divided into 52 ponds. 
Value of Plant- 
Land $11,527 20 

Pond system 8, 902 80 

Buildings 2, 808 00 

Fish 4,126 80 

Old inventories 343 20 

Gates and sluices 1, 386 00 

Total $29,094 00 





Total. 


Per acre. 


Income from sale of fish* (principally carp at 13. 6 






$7, 535 04 




$37 30 


Expense and Fixed Charges- 
Four per cent on $29,094 


$1, 163 76 

53 04 

3 84 








Land and building tax 










Fire insurance 






$ 6 05 






$1, 220 64 






Repairs to buildings 


$ 76 08 
72 00 
92 40 

432 00 
708 00 
204 00 
172 80 
124 08 

1, 788 00 

151 20 

13 20 

433 92 






Renewal of implements 










Renewal of gates and sluices 










Salary of overseer 










Other help 










Transportation charges 










Fertilizers 










Lime 










Fish food 










Office expense . . 










Sickness and medicines 










Loss of fishes 












4, 267 68 




21 10 












Total 




$5,488 32 




•$27 15 












Net profit 


$2, 046 72 




$10 15 













* The sales of fish in normal years from this property averages as follows: 

Carp, pounds 

Tench, pounds ...].........".. 

Trout, pounds .V. . ...\.\.\ ...... . 



47, 178 

2,866 

875 



Total, pounds 50, 919 



PART VI. 



PAST FLOODS AND THE PROBABILITIES OF THE FUTURE. 

From what has been said in Part III, as to the extent to which the 
construction of levees has encroached upon the bottom lands, it will be 
realized that the safety of these and other bottom land improvements 
depends upon the adequacy of the designs to meet the future flood con- 
ditions. Waterways must be maintained of sufficient width and depth 
to permit the passage of the floods. 

In the consideration of this matter, it becomes necessary to esti- 
mate the maximum rates of flow likely to occur, for a comparison of 
flood heights alone, past and future, is impracticable on account of the 
important changes brought about through levee construction. 

In making an estimate of future flood rates, it will be necessary 
to closely examine past experience, for we can view the future no more 
accurately than we can see the past. The past furnishes the best guide 
for the future. It, therefore, becomes of significance to inquire as to 
the flood rates that have occurred upon the Illinois Eiver. In this 
inquiry it will be useful to examine a record of flood heights, for, while 
the greatest height and greatest flow are not always simultaneous, they 
are likely to be approximately so, and we may reasonably look for the 
greatest flow rates among the years when the highest gage readings 
occurred. 

FLOOD HEIGHTS. 

Table No. 25 shows the maximum gage height in each year so far 
as it is a matter of record; at Peoria from 1867 to 1914, and at Beards- 
town, Pearl and Grafton since 1879 or 1880. These are not simultaneous 
gage readings, but record the highest elevation of the water during the 
year at the several places. The date of each high water is noted in the 
table. It will be observed that the same flood does not always produce 
the highest water of the year at every place upon the river ; thus, very 
frequently the maximum gage height at Grafton occurs in May, June 
or July, being influenced principally by the Mississippi Eiver. Pearl is 
influenced by the Mississippi Eiver to a less degree. At Beardstown 
and Peoria the gage heights are governed almost entirely by Illinois 
Eiver flows, the maximum flood usually occurring in March or in April. 

The flood of greatest height upon the Illinois Eiver occurred before 
the establishment of the present gages. This flood was so remarkable 
however, as to leave well authenticated marks well distributed through- 
out the river valley and for comparative purposes, we have shown the 
gage height of this flood at the four places noted, as it would have been 
had gages been in place as at present. 

84 



PAST AND FUTURE FLOODS. 



85 



TABLE NO. 25— HIGHEST WATER IN EACH YEAR— GAGE HEIGHT AT SALIENT 
PLACES ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 





Peoria. 


Beards town. 


Pearl. 


Grafton. 


Miles from mouth 


163.0 

435. 82 

5.5 

21.33 

15.75 
19.17 
16.25 
15.66 




88.9 

427. 25 

6.7 




43.1 
419. 70 
5.42 








Zero of gage Memphis D. 
Low water of 1901 








410.96 
1.4 




July2€ 

Feb. 
May 
July 
Mar. 
Mar. 


-28 

20 
12 
1 
29 
19 


July 26-28 




Dec. 17-18 


1867 






1868 














1869 . .. 














1870 














1871 














1872 














1873 


15.42 
13.75 


Apr. 
Feb. 


13 
19 














1874 














1875 














1876 


16.58 
15.50 


Apr. 
Apr. 


7 
5 














1877 














1878 




1879 






11.7 
13.4 
16.1 
17.8 
21.8 
16.6 


Apr. 
May 
Dec. 
June 
Feb. 
Apr. 


22 
17 
31 
16 
25 
2 


8.6 
16.6 


Apr. 
May 


25 

1 






1880 






19.05 

22.89 

23.14 

23.34 

21.09 

17.28 

18.47 

13.65 

22.40 

14.39 

14.64 

14.9 

25.69 


July 8- 9 
May 5 
July 5- 6 
June 25 


1881 






1882 










1883 


20.88 
17.66 








1884 


Mar. 


29 






Apr. 6- 7 
Apr. 29 
May 15 
Feb. 16 


1885 


16.58 

14.08 

14.75 

11.08 

9.17 

9.83 

10.70 

20.42 

18.10 

7.75 


Jan. 
Feb. 
Feb. 
Mar. 
July 
Jan. 
Apr. 
May 
May 
Mar. 


22 
27 
28 
29 

2 
19 
26 
19 

5 
22 




i6.66 

18.66 
14.10 


Feb. 
Feb. 
Mar. 


19 
19 
30 


16.6 
16.5 
13.5 
12.0 
13.5 
12.8 
18.4 
17.0 
9.8 


Feb. 
Feb. 
Apr. 
June 
Jan. 
Apr. 
May 
Mar. 
Mar. 


26 

23 

3 

27 
20 
24 
15 
14 
20 


1887 


1888 


May 30 
May 31 


1889. 




13.30 
15.00 
21.90 
19.90 
12.30 
15.00 
14.70 
18.30 
19.30 
15.10 
19.90 
17.70 

19.30 
23.00 
17.90 
15.90 
20.40 

17.80 

15.80 
19.80 
22.30 


June 
Apr. 
May 
Mar. 
Mar. 
Dec. 
Jan. 
Mar. 
Mar. 
Mar. 
Mar. 
Mar. 
July 
Mar. 
Mar. 
May 
Mar. 
Jan. 

May 

Nov. 
Apr. 
Mar. 


25 
17 

9 
15 
14 
31 

1 
24 
31 
22 
16 
31 
22 
12 
28 
19 

7 
24 
10 

5 

12 
24 

1 
30 

8 


1891 


Apr. 26 
May 18 




1893 




14.4 
14.4 
18.1 
23.2 
18.0 
18.2 
17.2 
16.6 

28.65 

24.07 

18.3 

18.3 

17.9 

22.6 
14.3 
15.4 
23.6 
20.5 
12.6 

32.16 


May 12 
Dec. 22 


1895 


1896 










May 30 

May 2 
May 23 
May 25 
Mar. 16 


1897 






18.33 
18.33 
12.50 
16.08 
14.00 

20.60 
19.30 
13.00 
15.20 
16.10 

15.50 
12.80 
15.10 
19.60 
20.80 
10.20 

26.50 


Apr. 
Apr. 
Mar. 
Mar. 
Apr. 
July 
June 
Apr. 
June 
Apr. 
Feb. 

May 
Jan. 
Oct. 
Apr. 
Apr. 
Apr. 


7 

6 
22 
22 
10 
28 
12 

7 
17 
13 

3 

26 
12 
27 

7 
10 
11 
16 




19.9 
14.1 
17.7 
15.2 

17.0 
20.0 
14.1 
15.6 
18.3 

15.5 
14.8 
16.9 
18.8 
21.8 
13.4 

22.50 


Apr. 
Mar. 
Mar. 
Apr. 

Mar. 
Apr. 
June 
Apr. 
Jan. 

May 
Jan. 
Oct. 
Apr. 
Apr. 
Apr. 


1 
14 
19 
6 

26 

15 

4 

14 

10 

29 

24 

10 

31 

7 

4 

5 

15 


1899 


1900 


1901 


Apr. 10-11 
June 11 




1903 


1904 


Apr. 30 
June 16 


1905 




Apr. 15 
July 25 


1907 




1909 


July 15 
May 10 
Oct. 4 




1911 




Apr. 10 
Apr. 11-12 
June 27 


1913 



















It will be noted that this flood is nearly four feet higher than any- 
other flood recorded at Peoria, .7 of a foot higher at Beardstown, 5.7 
foot higher at Pearl, and 6.5 foot higher than any other flood recorded at 
Grafton. It is worthy of note that the 1913 flood at Beardstown closely 
approached the 1844 flood in height, but was considerably less in height 
at the other places given in the table. This matter is considered else- 
where in this report. 

The eight highest floods at Peoria (Lower Wagon Bridge) were 
as follows: 

Gage Gage Gage 

Year. height. Year. height. Year. height. 

1904 23.0 1892 21.9 1883 20.88 

1913 22.3 1867 21.33 1907 20.4 

1908 22.2 1902. 21.0 

These are the only floods exceeding 20 feet on the gage. 



s 



REPORT OX ILLINOIS RIVER. 



FLOOD OF 1904. 

The flood of 190-1 which attained the greatest height at Peoria 
reached since 1844, was measured at numerous places upon the river by 
the U. S. Engineers in connection with their report on the waterway, 
and also by the 17. S. Geological Survey in connection with the hydro- 
graphic work on the rivers of the United States. Measurements were 
made at the apex of the flood as nearly as possible, and also at numerous 
other gage heights between flood stage and low water, particularly in 
the year 1904, but also in the years 1903. 1905 and 1906. Reference 
has previously been made to measurements by Mr. Jacob A. Harmon 
in 1900 and 1899. 

TABLE NO. 26— GREATEST MEASURED FLOWS— FLOOD OF 1904. 
Illinois River. 



Location of discharge 
section. 



Miles 


Date of 




from 


meas- 


Gage 


Graf- 


ure- 


height 


ton. 


ment. 


— feet. 



Creat- 



or ed 
flows- 
sec. -ft. 



By whom 

measurement 

was made. 



Remarks. 



Pearl— C. & A. bridge — 

Pearl— C. & A. bridge 

Beardstown— city bridge.. 
Beardstown— city bridge.. 
Havana— city bridge 



Havana — city bridge. 



Havana — city bridge. 
Havana — city bridge. 
Havana — city bridge . 



Peoria— P. <fc P 
Peoria— P. & P 
Peoria— P. & P 
Peoria— P. <fc P 
Peoria— P. & P 
Peoria— P. & P. € 
Peoria— P. & P. U 
Ottawa— C. B. i- Q. bridge 
Ottawa— C B. <i- Q. bridge 
Devine— E. J. & E. bridge. 
Devine— E. J. i E. bridge. 
*Mouth of Jackson Creek.. . 
♦Mouth of Jackson Creek. . . 
♦Mouth of Jackson Creek. . . 



U. bridge 
U. bridge 
U. bridge 
U. bridge 
bridge; 
bridge 
bridge 



43.2 
43.2 
SS. S 
SS. S 
119.9 

119.9 

119.9 
119.9 
119.9 
160.7 

160.7 
160.7 
160.7 
160.7 
160.7 
160.7 
239.6 
239.6 
270.7 
270.7 
278 i 
27S.4 



Apr. 


5 


19.3 


Apr. 


V 


19.1 


Mar. 


H 


19.4 


Mar. 


:■:• 


IS. 5 


Apr. 


1 


19.9 


Mar. 


29 


19.7 


Mar. 


28 


19.4 




■>■ 


IS. 1 


Mar. 


as 


17.6 


Mar. 


28 


21.83 


Mar. 


: : 


21. 4S 


Apr. 


2 


21.17 


Apr. 


, 


20.12 


Apr. 


y 


19.66 


Mar. 


23 


19.3 


Mar. 


22 


18.8 


Apr. 


2 


—117. 3 


Mar. 


-• 


—US. 3 


Mar. 


21 


—78.47 


Mar. 


27 


— 79.9S 


Mar. 


25 


—74.1 


Mar. 


25 


—74.6 


Mar. 


2-5 


—74. S 



115. 204 
109.404 
90.64 

76. 071 

74. 314 
75.970 
74,268 
58, 370 

41. 934 
51. 55S 
52. 
59. 333 
57.53S 
54.473 
46. 561 
57.097 
50.920 
20. 07S 
17.943 
17.343 



U. S. Eners. 
..do....:... 

..do 

..do 

U. S. G. S_. 

..do 

..do 

U. S. Engrs. 

..do 

U. S. G. S .. 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

U. S. Engrs. 

..do 

U.S. G. S .. 

..do 

U. S. G. S .. 

..do 

U. S.G.S.. 

..do 

..do 



.OS' below crest on April 6. 
.28' below crest on April 6. 
.6' below crest on April 4. 
1.5' below crest on April 4. 
Crest on April 1, 42,000 c. 

f . s. estimated over road- 
.2' below crest. 9.000 c. f. 

s. estimated over road. 
.5' below crest. 
1.8' below crest. 
2.3' below crest. 
Crest on March 28. 
.35' below crest 
.66' below crest. 
1.71' below crest. 
2.17' below crest. 
2.53' below crest. 
3.03' below crest 
1.9' below crest on Mar. 27. 
2.9' below crest on Mar. 27. 
Crest on Mar:. 
1.51' below c: 
.11' below crest on Mar. 26. 
.6' below crest on Mar. 26. 
.8' below crest on Mar. 26. 



* Flow of Des Plaines River near its mouth. 

Table No. 26 shows a summary of the flow measurements made by 
the TJ. S. Engineers and the 17. S. Geological Survey, at and near the 
apex of the flood of 1904 at several places throughout the length of the 
river. It will be observed that all measurements were not made exactly 
at the apex of the flood, and although at most of the places, the measure- 
ments agree fairly well, stage of water considered, the measurements 
of the U. S. Engineers generally give greater flows than those of the 
U. S. Geological Survey, and at Peoria, the difference is large when 
the stage of the river is considered at the times of the respective 
measurements. 



CONCLUSIONS OF U. S. ENGINEERS. 

As a result of their measurements, the U. S. Board of Engineers- 
reported the maximum flow rates of the 1904 flood as follow- : 



" 






z. <**• 













ce ooi ei 

















































BE 27 


- - \ i Jill 1 1 


11 


J j i 

1 li li i 








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— 


Profiles of 1904 Flood 






















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aoo-ri * 



PAST AND FUTURE FLOODS. 87 

Second-feet. 

Joliet, Des Plaines River 22,000 

Channahon, Des Plaines River. 22,000 

Devine, Illinois River ' 73,000 

Ottawa, Illinois River 85,000 

Peoria, Illinois River 90,000 

Havana, Illinois River 100,000 

Beardstown, Illinois River 115,000 

Pearl, Illinois River.. . 117,000 

PEORIA RATING CURVE. 

As Peoria is one of the best measuring points on the river, and a 
long gage record is available here, it becomes of considerable impor- 
tance to determine the proper gage height and flow relation as closely 
as the data will permit. 

Turning to Fig. 9 (the diagram of rating curves) it will be observed 
that six measurements have been made, resulting in flows between 50,000 
and 60,000 second-feet at gage heights between 19 and 23 feet, two by 
the U. S. Engineers, three by the U. S. Geological Survey, and one by 
Mr. Jacob A. Harmon. The one measurement at the flood apex made 
by the U. S. Geological Survey is not in accord with the five other 
measurements which were made at stages from 2 to 4 feet lower. 

As bearing upon this matter, Mr. J. W. Woermann, C. E., in his 
report to the United States Engineer Office, makes the following 
comment : 

"During the flood stage the work was concentrated between Peoria and 
the mouth for the reason that the U. S. Geological Survey had a party at 
work taking measurements on the upper part of the river. At Peoria and 
Havana, measurements were taken by both parties, and it is possible to 
compare their results. The results agree fairly well for ordinary stages, but 
at high water our curves give greater discharges than those of the U. S. 
Geological Survey. In my opinion, this is accounted for by the fact that the 
observers of the U. S. Geological Survey used small Price current meters 
with comparatively light weights, and we know from our own observations, 
that the meters were deflected out of a vertical position very materially. 
This, of course, resulted in the meters recording a lower velocity than actu- 
ally existed. It is believed, therefore, that the results obtained on this 
survey with a large Price current meter and a 60 pound weight are more 
reliable. 

"It should also be stated that our measurements were taken from a cable 
away from the disturbing influences of the bridge piers, whereas their meters 
were suspended directly from the bridges in taking observations." 

It was thought that the above apparent difference might be ex- 
plainable by different conditions of river slope, and therefore, Fig. 27 
was prepared which shows the profile of the flood surface on various dates 
from March 23d to April 30th. 

The measurement of the U. S. Engineers was made on March 23d, 
at which time the fall between the Lower Wagon Bridge and Pekin was 
3.25 feet. The measurement of the U. S. Geological Survey was made 
on March 28th, at which time the fall between these places was 3.6 feet. 
The gage height at Peoria was 2.8 feet higher on March 28th, and at 
Pekin 2.45 feet higher on March 28th than on March 23d. 

These figures indicate that the velocities on March 28th must have 
been equal to or slightly greater than those on March 23d, and that 



88 REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 

therefore, the difference in the flow results cannot be accounted for on 
the score of changed river conditions. The flows undoubtedly were con- 
siderably greater on the 28th than on the 23d. 

There is a further reason for believing that the flow on March 28th 
was considerably larger than would be indicated by the U. S. Geological 
Survey measurement. At another place in this report the flow co- 
efficients prevailing in the stream and in the river valley are discussed, 
and tables are shown of the values prevailing in the river prism and in 
the flooded valley, according to the best available information on this 
and other rivers. If a flow so small as that reported by the U. S. Geo- 
logical Survey occurred, the flow coefficients would be materially smaller 
than evidently obtained elsewhere on the river and upon other rivers. In 
fact, using reasonable values in the channel section proper under the 
cross-sections and slopes prevailing, the channel should have been capable 
of discharging somewhat more water than was measured, without con- 
sidering any flow at all as traveling by way of the flooded bottom lands. 

For all of these reasons, we are inclined to the belief that the max- 
imum flow rate at Peoria was about 80,000 second-feet at the flood apex, 
or slightly less than the estimate of the U. S. Engineers. 

At other places further down the river, the agreement in measure- 
ments is fairly close. In the light of all the measurements made, we 
would place the prevailing flow rates at figures slightly under the esti- 
mates of the IT. S. Engineers for the middle reaches of the river. 

CONCLUSIONS AS TO FLOOD EATES IN 1904. 

In order that we may have concrete figures for use hereafter, it 
seems necessary to determine the 1904 flows. It is our opinion that the 
figures of flow set down in Table No. 27 are most closely concordant 
with all the available information. The table also shows the drainage 
area tributary to each of the observation stations, and the flow rate in 
cubic feet per second per square mile. 

TABLE NO. 27— ESTIMATED MAXIMUM FLOW— FLOOD OF 1904. 
Illinois River. 



Place. 



Date. 



© 


I 


> - 


■d 


o a 


M 


J2 o 
<3£ 


03 

xi . 


8 IS 


P 


S 


© 






43.2 


19.4 


88.8 


20.0 


119.9 


19.9 


162.3 


21.8 




23.0 


239.8 


—113.35 


270.7 


—78.8 


278.0 


14.1 


288.4 


—5.5 



3g 

si 



0.2H 



Remarks. 



Grafton 

Pearl 

Beardstown 

Havana 

Peoria 

tOttawa— C B. & Q 
Bridge 

^Devine— E. J. & E. 
Bridge 

♦Channahon— near mth 
of Jackson Creek. 

♦Joliet— below Econ. Lt 
& Power Co. Dam 



Apr. 20 
Apr. 6 
Apr. 4 
Apr. 1 
Mar. 23 
Mar. 28 

Mar. 27 

Mar. 25 

Mar. 26 

Mar. 23 



125, 000 
115, 000 
105, 000 
90, 000 
80, 000 



85, 000 
73, 000 
22, 000 
22, 000 



27, 914 
26, 182 
23, 444 
17, 454 
13, 479 


4.48 
4.40 
4.47 
5.15 
5.94 


10, 229 


8.31 


6, 538 


11.21 


975 


22.5 


975 


22.5 



U. S. Engrs. estimate, 117,000. 
U. S. Engrs. estimate, 115,000. 
U. S. Engrs. estimate, 100,000. 
U.S. Engrs. estimate, 90,000. 



Estimate of U. S. Engineers. 
Estimate of U. S. Engineers. 
Estimate of U. S. Engineers. 
Estimate of U. S. Engineers. 



* Note.— These places on Des Plaines River above head of Illinois River, 
t Sanitary District gages. 



PAST AND FUTURE FLOODS. 89 



FLOOD OF 1844. 



The flood of 1844 as before stated, reached greater heights than 
any previous flood at every place upon the river. In order that some 
idea might be formed as to the rate prevailing during this flood, some 
comparisons have been made relative to the comparative cross-sections, 
slopes and mean depth prevailing in 1844, and in 1904 under the meas- 
ured flood. 

It has been demonstrated that in the flow of rivers, the average 
velocity and hence the delivery, will vary approximately as the cross- 
sectional area, the square root of the mean depth and the square root of 
' the slope. This relation holds so long as the retarding effect of the sur- 
faces over which the water passes remains constant. 

It is not possible to determine simultaneously gage readings for the 
flood of 1844. The best that can be done is to reason from the high- 
water marks which are determined with fair accuracy at numerous places 
and to compare them with similar highwater marks in the measured 
flood of 1904. 

The high water marks of 1844 are fairly well determined at Peoria 
and at Pekin, points about ten miles apart. The figures bearing upon 
this point are as follows : 

Flood of Flood of 

1904. 1844. 

Average cross-sectional area, square feet 79,020 111,220 

Mean depth— feet ' 12.2 15.85 

Fall Peoria to Pekin— feet 3.6 1.7 

Square root of mean depth 3.50 3.98 

Square root of fall 1.90 1.30 

Eatio of cross-sections 1.40 

Ratio of depth, square roots 1.14 

Ratio of fall, square roots .69 

Product of ratios net relation 1.10 

These figures so far as they go, would indicate that the 1844 flood 
was about 10 per cent greater than the flood of 1904 in the vicinity of 
Peoria. 

A similar comparison between LaGrange and Pearl, a distance of 
33.2 miles, in which the fall was 2.3 feet in 1844, and 6.38 feet in 1904, 
indicates that at this place the flood rate of 1844 was about 32 per cent 
greater than in 1904. 

A comparison over a longer stretch of river, namely, from Beards- 
town to Grafton, upon the same basis, would indicate a quite materially 
higher ratio than the above, but it is believed that not much reliance 
can be placed on the extreme highwater slope indications so near to the 
Mississippi River, the heights at Grafton being very largely governed by 
agencies outside of the Illinois River. 

The above comparisons take no account of the influence of increased 
depth and velocity, upon the fractional resistance of the water in passage. 
These factors would tend to increase the apparent flows in 1844 by the 
amount of about 25 per cent. (Effect of these factors on value of C in 
Kutter's formula.) The comparison further takes no account of the 



90 REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 

difference in skin friction that may have existed (as covered by the value 
of n in Kutter's formula). This would tend to reduce the comparative 
flow rates in 1844, for much of the bottom land has been cleared of 
trees and brush, especially in the lower river in the year of 1904. Com- 
putations seem to show that about one-half the flood passed by way of 
the bottom lands in the lower part of the river in 1904, at which time 
little had been done in the way of levee construction. This land was 
probably a jungle in 1844, highly resistant to passage of water. 

The river channel proper was probably in much the same condition 
in 1844 and 1904, and if we disregard the water passing over land, and 
consider the channel section of the river only, the hydraulic elements 
would indicate an excess flow rate in 1844 of about 14 per cent in the 
reach between Peoria and Pekin, and in the reach from La Grange to 
Pearl, the channel flow rates would be indicated as approximately equal. 

The slopes between Pekin and Havana would seem to indicate higher 
flow rates in 1844 than any of the above, unless it can be shown that the 
land was wooded to a much greater extent in 1844, and upon this point 
we have no information. The land at the present time has perhaps the 
highest percentage of trees and brush of any reach on the river. Between 
Peoria and the Great Bend, the high flows are also indicated, but the 
flood marks are not so numerous or well authenticated. 

It is believed that there is good reason for the conclusion that in 
the lower river, say below Beardstown, the flow rate in 1844 at no time 
was materially greater than the rate observed in 1904. In the upper 
river, the indication is less clear and the flood rates of 1844 probably 
exceeded those in 1904 by not less than 15 per cent, and possibly more. 

FLOOD OF 1913. 

The flood of 1913 produced a maximum flow rate at Peoria about 10 
per cent less than the flood of 1904. In the lower river at Beardstown 
it reached a height within .7 of a foot of the 1844 flood, but- it traversed 
a river differing greatly from that existing in 1904 and previously, par- 
ticularly between Beardstown and Grafton. The flow cross-section was 
greatly reduced on account of the levee construction. For reaches of 
considerable length, the water was confined between agricultural levees 
and the high bank on the western side of the river, closely approximating 
the channel conditions in the main stream here and elsewhere. 

We have elsewhere herein demonstrated the values for coefficients of 
flow generally prevailing in the channel sections of the Illinois Biver, 
and if these values are applied to the channel sections and slopes pre- 
vailing below Beardstown in the flood of 1913, it is indicated that the 
maximum flow rates during this flood were closely approximate to the 
measured rates in the flood of 1904. There is reason to believe that in 
1913 as in 1904, a large increment was furnished by the Sangamon 
Biver, and the rates thus produced were probably accentuated by exten- 
sive operations in channel straightening in the Sangamon Biver bottoms 
completed prior to 1913, that tended to reduce the natural storage in the 
valley of the Sangamon Biver, and somewhat increased the rates of flow 
delivered to the Illinois at Beardstown. 

All these matters seem to indicate that the maximum flood rate in 
1913 was about 10 per cent less than the rate in 1904 in the vicinity of 



PAST AND FUTURE FLOODS. 91 

Peoria, and substantially equal to the 1904 flood rates at Beardstown 
and below. 

THE PROBABLE FLOODS OF THE FUTURE. ' 

It becomes necessary, if we may design works that will safely stand 
the floods hereafter, to estimate as accurately as we can the flood rates 
that the future is likely to produce. In estimates of this kind we can 
do no more than to examine the past and to assume that what has 
occurred before may occur again, and referring particularly to the 
Illinois River, it will not be sufficient to base our conclusions on the 
experience of this river on which continuous records cover only about 
fifty years. Due weight must be given to the experience on other rivers 
having a longer record, for experience has shown that the peculiar com- 
bination of circumstances that produce a deluge and flood materially 
greater than the ordinary large flood, may occur on any stream at any 
time, and where records are sufficiently lengthy, it is shown that the 
intervals between such occurrences may be very great, in fact, so long as 
centuries, or, the great floods may follow one another closely. The 
experience in this regard upon some streams of long record is instructive. 

GREAT FLOODS. 

Upon the Mississippi, the greatest flood since the occupation of the 
valley occurred in 1844. The flood second in magnitude occurred in 
1785. There was an interval of fifty-nine years between these floods and 
in the seventy-one years since 1844, this flood has not been closely 
approached. 

The flood of 1883 on the Ohio River at Cincinnati was the greatest 
flood up to that time since the river has been known to the white man. 
The following year a slightly greater flood occurred which has not since 
been equaled. At Cairo on the same river, the record flood occurred in 
1883. It was slightly exceeded in 1912, and again . exceeded in 1913. 

The late Mr. Emil Kuichling, C.E., quotes the official investigation 
into the floods of the river Seine at Paris, and states that in observations 
covering 400 years, the greatest flood occurred March 1, 1658. The 
flood second in magnitude occurred January 28, 1910. This flood almost 
equaled the former great flood and was estimated at 83,500 second-feet 
on 16,860 square miles, a rate of about 5 second-feet per square mile, 
which is approximately equal to the flood of 1904 upon the Illinois 
River. The flood third in magnitude occurred December 26, 1740; it 
was slightly smaller than the flood last above mentioned. 

Mr. Kuichling also quotes the experience on the River Danube at 
Vienna, on which the highest water from well attested flood marks 
occurred in the year 1501. The flood was roughly estimated at 503,200 
second-feet on 39,200 square miles, a flood rate of about 13 second-feet 
per square mile. Numerous floods have since occurred upon this river, 
but none larger than 307,800 second-feet. This is over 25 per cent less 
than the discharge in the great flood of 1501. 

The above citations emphasizes the value of long records and the 
chance for serious error in the drawing of conclusions from a short 
record. 



92 



REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 



FLOOD "BATES ON OTHER STREAMS. 

As throwing light upon what may occur in the valley of the Illinois 
River, we have collected such data as we could secure relative to the 
maximum flood flow rates that have been observed on the streams in 
and adjacent to the State of Illinois. We show this data in table ISTo. 28. 
These streams are all much smaller than the Illinois River, and as 
would be expected, show flood rates per unit of drainage area consider- 
ably higher than the rates on the Illinois River. The streams listed 
include Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin, and the flow rates vary from 
7 to 34 second-feet per square mile. 

TABLE NO. 28— MAXIMUM FLOOD FLOWS ON STREAMS IN AND ADJACENT TO 

ILLINOIS. 



River. 


Place of measure- 
ment. 


CS 

® 

C3 
S 

cf 

a 

"e3 

M 

P 


Date. 




1 *> £ 


Authority. 


Des Plaines River. . 
Grand River 


Riverside, 111 

Grand Rapids, Mich. 

New Athens, 111 

*Carlyle,Ill 


633 

4,900 
5,200 
2,705 
1,040 

390 
3,163 
4,900 
8,000 
1,230 

757 

675 
19.4 

693 

140 
7,850 
34,700 
1,032 
520 
1,570 
7,300 


June 
Mar. 
May 
May 
May 
May 
Mar. 
Mar. 


1892 

27, 1904 

1908 

1908 

1908 

1908 

27, 1904 

29, 1904 


13,300 
39, 400 
54, 440 
19,946 
10, 580 
3,868 
56, 880 
79,950 


21.0 

8.04 
10.45 

7.37 
10.18 

9.92 
17.98 
16.33 
10.0 
20.3 

7.3 
34.1 
15.0 
15.8 

86 
32 
16 
77 
115 
89 
18.6 


T. T. Johnston. 

W. S. No. 147. 

U. S. G. S. and 1. 1. C. 


Kaskaskia 


U.S. G. S.andl.I. C. 




Shelbyville, 111 

Areola, 111. 


U.S. G. S.andl.I. C. 




U. S.G. S.andl.I. C. 


Wabash River 

White River 


Logansport, Ind 


tW. S.Nos. 147 and 128. 
fW. S. Nos. 147 and 128. 
D. W. Mead- 


Wisconsin 


Kilbourn, Wis 

Lansing, Mich 


Grand River 


March 1904 
July 7, 1902 


25,000 
5,510 
23, 060 
290 
11,000 

12, 000 
250, 000 
555, 200 
80,000 
60, 000 
140, 000 
136, 000 


W. S. No. 129. 
L. E. Cooley. 

U. S. G. S. 


Black 


Neillsville, Wis 

Lake Geneva, 111 

River dale 


Lake Geneva 






Calumet 


Mar. 

Mar. 
Mar. 
Mar. 
Mar. 
Mar. 
Mar. 
Mar. 


7, 1908 

13, 1913 
13, 1913 
13, 1913 
25, 1913 
25, 1913 
25, 1913 
13, 1913 


L. K. Sherman. 


FLOOD BATES DUR- 
ING GREAT FLOOD 
OF 19 13, IN OHIO. 

Ottawa River 


Lima, Ohio 


W. J. Sherman. 


Muskingum River. . 


Marietta, Ohio 

..do 


W. J. Sherman 




Columbus, Ohio 

Columbus, Ohio 

Columbus, Ohio 

Lafayette, Ind 


Alvord & Burdick. 




Alvord & Burdick. 


Lower Scioto 

Wabash 


Alvord & Burdick. 
Rough Est., Sackett. 





* Estimated that without the storage of the bottomlands, i.e. with the bottoms protected by levees, 
the unit rate would have been 25 second-feet per square mile. Report of J. A. Harman, Kaskaskia River 
Improvement. 

f Largest flood since 1885 and probably longer. 

The same table also shows the flood rates resulting from the greatest 
rainstorm of record that occurred in Ohio in March, 1913, accomplishing 
the great devastation at Dayton, Columbus and other Ohio cities. It 
will be observed that the Ohio River at Marietta, with a drainage area 
slightly larger than the Illinois, produced a flood rate of 16 second- 
feet per square mile, nearly three times the maximum recorded rate on 
the Illinois. It must be remembered however, that the tributary water- 
shed in the western Pennsylvania mountains is a water producer differ- 
ing greatly from the Illinois prairies. It will be observed that the flow 
rates on the smaller streams range from 32 to 115 second-feet per 
square mile. 

Fig. 28 shows in diagrammatic form, a composite representation of 
the data shown upon Table No. 28 also the maximum flow rates upon 



TTT 





















1 1 1 1 1 1 1 II 1 ! 1 I'l 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ' 1 ' 1 ! 1 1 - i ' 1 ■ 


















1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 II 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 i 1 




















Dia6ram Showing Relation of 

Drainage Area^ Flood Flow 

?n Rivers of the Eastern United States 

Considers© only Well Defined Maximum Floods 


































































T - 




















< 


















- 








































- 




































- X 


ndicates max. flow rates in Illinois River Flood of ! 904- (agree* flood), 
ndicates the flow rates in the Ohio Floods of 1913 on the Otentanjy i'. 
ociotoK), Lower Scioto I3i,and Miami (4). The first three are 
maximum ?A hour rates. The Miami flood is a crest rate bul was 
orobably nearly the same for 24 hours, 
ndicates great floods in Illinois and adjacent territory, 
ndicafes maximum ?4hnur rates on all rivers east oftte Mississippi 
where continuous record? have been kept for 10 yeans or more. 
Tom data compiled by Weston E, Fuller, M.Am, Soc. C.E. 
^urve) Represents Kuichlina formula for occasional maximums. 

"hese curves are not intended for application to areas over 
5 000 sq. miles bur are extended for comparative purposes. 
Curve) Represents Murphy formula intended to apply to areas of 
tess than 10,000 square miles. 
































- 
















t 


















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5o0o i00co i5cco 20000 25000 
Drainage Area in Square Mile? 



PAST AXD FUTURE FLOODS. 93 

a large number of other American streams lying east of the Mississippi, 
and for purposes of comparison, the greatest recorded flood rates on the 
Illinois Eiver are shown. It is the purpose of this diagram to illustrate 
the wide variation in maximum flow rates of the streams of the eastern 
United States, and to further illustrate the effect of the size of the water- 
shed contributing to the stream flow. 

The diagram is platted with drainage area in square miles laid off 
horizontally, and maximum flood flows in cubic feet per second per 
square mile, vertically. Each spot represents an observation on some 
stream, and is platted opposite to the size of its drainage area and its 
flow rate. 

Mr. Emil Kuichling in connection with his report on the New York 
State Barge Canal, platted similar data for some of these streams and 
others, and drew curves of relation which are reproduced on Fig. 28 
marked "K-2" and "K-l" on the diagram, indicating the flood rates 
upon drainage areas of various sizes likely to occur rarely, and occasion- 
ally, respectively. The Murphy formula for streams of the northeastern 
United States is also represented by the curve line marked "M." The 
Kuichling formula was intended to apply to drainage areas not larger 
than 5,000 square miles, and the Murphy formula to areas up to 10,000 
square miles. Curves "M" and "K-l" have, however, been extended to 
cover the total drainage area of the Illinois Eiver for comparative 
purposes, and seem to fit conditions fairly well. 

It will be observed that 1913 floods on the Ohio streams equaled, or, 
in one case, materially exceeded the curve of rare floods. It will further 
be seen that the Illinois Eiver has the lowest flood rates of any of the 
great rivers recorded, and in its upper reaches where the drainage area 
is small, it is well below the average of streams having a like drainage 
area. 

ARTIFICIAL CONDITIONS AFFECTING FLOOD BATES. 

At the outset it will perhaps be desirable to mention some of the 
artificial causes that tend to affect flood flows, particularly as these 
causes have been much discussed of late, and the operation of these 
causes hereafter might obviously have a tendency to affect conclusions 
made at this time. 

The drainage of low land has affected flood flows in two ways. By 
draining the swamps which naturally were more or less covered with 
standing water, these natural flood water storage reservoirs have been 
destroyed. This would have a tendency to increase flood rates particu- 
larly on the adjacent streams. Upon the other hand, the reclamation 
of swamp land has permitted the soil to act as a receptacle for storage 
that was not available when the land was flooded with water. This tends 
to counteract the direct effect of the drainage. The tiling of rolling 
farm land, an extensive practice in Illinois, has probably had very little 
effect on floods one way or the other; if anything, the tendency is to 
reduce the effects of the flood delivered to the streams. 

The question of deforestation recently much discussed, is of small 
concern on the watershed of the Illinois. The majority of the acreage 
has always been prairie land. 



94 REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 

The reclamation of bottom lands on the tributaries of the Illinois, 
is a more important effect. Considerable work has already been done 
on the Sangamon in the way of straightening the channel for the pur- 
pose of decreasing the frequency of overflow, and in case of flooding, 
removing the water from the bottom lands more quickly. This practice 
tends to rob the bottom lands of their ability to store flood waters; to 
increase the delivery rate of the tributaries, and hence if the practice is 
extensively pursued, to materially increase the rate at which flood water 
is delivered in the valley of the Illinois Eiver. As the Illinois Eiver 
is a great stream, and most of the tributaries are comparatively small, 
the dangers arising from this work will depend upon the extent to which 
such reclamation works are built. There are a number of tributaries of 
the Illinois on which works of this kind are suggested, but the matter 
has not been sufficiently investigated as yet to form an intelligent opinion 
as to how extensive these works will ultimately be, and of the effect 
they may produce upon the flood deliveries of. the Illinois Eiver. 

So far as the artificial drainage of swamp land is concerned, it is 
not probable that future^, operations will be of sufficient moment to 
materially change the rates that have prevailed in the last twenty years. 

NATUEAL CONDITIONS AFFECTING FLOOD EATES. 

It must not be presumed that conditions are likely to occur that 
will produce flood rates upon the Illinois Eiver equal to those of the 
recent Ohio floods. There is no doubt that although the rainstorm pro- 
ducing those floods may occur again, although such a storm never before 
visited the eastern United States, and may center on the Illinois Eiver 
watershed, even so, the watershed of this stream could not produce the 
rates that occurred in Ohio, for the watershed is too large, the stream 
valleys too wide, and the gradients are too flat. Even so, very much 
larger floods might be produced, for only the edge of the March, 1913, 
storm covered the watershed of the Illinois Eiver, and a great flood was 
produced below Peoria. Had this storm been centered on the Illinois 
Eiver, there is little doubt but that a record flood would have resulted. 

Upon the great rivers such as the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri, 
the melting snows have an important effect upon the flood rates, and 
the greatest floods have resulted through a warm rain on snow, supple- 
mented by torrential rains in the lower reaches of the watersheds 
affected. The snow conditions on the Ohio and Mississippi are particu- 
larly important by reason of the great depth that sometimes covers the 
ground in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Minnesota. 

The snowfall is of less importance on the smaller streams, on which 
the greatest floods usually result from torrential rains, although some- 
times supplemented by snow lying on the ground. These smaller drain- 
age areas come within the compass of a much more concentrated rainfall 
than is possible on the watersheds of the great rivers, on -which rain- 
storm floods are usually produced by a number of storms each covering 
only a part of the watershed, or the series of recurring storms in a 
measure following the flood waters down through the drainage area. 

The condition of the ground surface has very much to do with the 
maximum runoff rates, thus, a ground that is already saturated with 



PAST AND FUTURE FLOODS. 



95 



a moderate rainfall, is in a condition to deliver a succeeding torrential 
rain almost entire to the water courses, and more important and of more 
frequent occurrence, the frozen ground of late winter and early spring 
produces a similar result. Thus, we almost always have our floods in 
this latitude in February, March or April. This is true upon the Illinois, 
except in the lower part of the river where the flood is influenced by 
the Mississippi and Missouri Kivers which may deliver their flood waters 
as late as May or June. 

Thus, in so far as rainfall and ground surface conditions are con- 
cerned, the streams of the central and northeastern United States are 
much alike, and the principal differences in unit runoff must be looked 
for in topography. A double effect is here produced, for the flat 
gradients not only tend to low delivery rates, but also tend to store the 
flood waters, thus making delivery to the streams over a longer period 
and at smaller rates. 

The effects of topography are much too complicated to give us 
directly valuable information as to probable flood rates, or even to 
make definite comparisons between watersheds. An effort has been made 
however, to accomplish this purpose in another way, namely, by ascer- 
taining the average flood flows of our various streams and comparing the 
great floods on the streams, each as a ratio of the average flood on the 
same stream. 

COMPAKISON BY EATIOS. 

This method of comparing flood flow rates was first suggested in a 
paper by Weston E. Fuller, read before the American Society of Civil 
Engineers, October 15, 1913. Mr. Fuller has clone a great service to 
the hydraulics of rivers in this suggestion, and in assembling the flood 
flow data on all our American streams, in such form that intelligent 
comparison thereof can be made. 

Table No. 29 has been prepared largely from his data, but with a 
few additions, including all the rivers of the United States on which 
flow records are available, covering ten years or more. 



TABLE NO. 29— MAXIMUM (24-HOUR) FLOOD RATES— ALL STREAMS OF UNITED 
STATES HAVING RECORD OF TEN YEARS OR MORE. 

(Compiled from paper on Flood Flows by Weston E. Fuller, M. Am. Soc. C. E.) 



Stream. 


Place measured. 


Drainage 
area — 
square 
miles. 


Length 

of 
record 
—years. 


Average 
yearly 

flood 
flow— 
second^ 

feet. 


Maxi- 
mum 
flood— 
second- 
feet. 


Maxi- 
mum 
flood 
per 
square 
mile— 
second- 
feet. 


Ratio 
of maxi- 
mum to 
average 

flood. 


NEW ENGLAND 
STREAMS. 

Connecticut River 


Hartford 


10, 234 

4,638 

2,090 

8,144 

615 

240 

4,270 

13 


104 
56 
40 
26 
24 
21 
18 
14 


113, 400 
43,400 
24, 900 
73, 000 
16, 800 
1,850 
59, 600 
434 


205, 000 
82, 150 
55, 500 
115, 000 
30, 640 
3, 275 
151, 000 
788 


20.0 
17.7 
26.6 
14.2 
49.7 
13.6 
35.4 
60.6 


1.81 


Merrimac 




1.90 


Androscoggin 


Rumford Falls 


2.23 


Connecticut 


1.58 


Pemigewasset. .. 




1.82 


Cobbossecontec 


Gardiner 


1.77 


Kennebec 


Water ville 


2.53 


Fomer 




1.82 









96 



REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 
TABLE NO. 29— Continued. 



Stream. 


Place measured. 


Drainage 
area- 
square 
miles. 


Length 

record 

—years. 


Average 
yearly 
flood 
flow — 
second- 
feet. 


Maxi- 
mum 
flood— 
second- 
feet. 


Maxi- 
mum 
flood 
per 
square 
mile— 
second- 
feet. 


Ratio 
of maxi- 
mum to 
average 

flood. 


Penobscot (West) 

Penobscot 


Millinockett 

West Enfield 

The Forks 


1,880 
6,600 
1,570 
3,305 

4,500 

2,800 

3,440 

256 

823 

139 

152 

102 

24,000 

5,640 

9,650 

660 

6,430 

1,920 

3,000 

9,810 

11, 100 

251 

1,530 

3,480 

2,400 

7,300 

2,420 

4,900 

2,660 

4,493 

3,400 

3,300 

7,060 

762 

4,180 

6,230 

531 

15,400 

604 

4,610 

1,610 

831 

593 

990 

2,500 

4,440 

23,800 

21, 400 

2,450 

1,260 

1,032 

520 

1,570 

675 

2,720 

1,340 

662 

410 

987 

8,990 

1,180 


11 
11 
11 
11 

23 
13 
12 
12 

34 
27 
27 
25 
21 
17 
17 
15 
15 
14 
13 
12 
12 
12 
11 
11 
10 

20 
18 
17 
15 
15 
15 
14 
14 
13 
13 
12 
12 
12 
12 
11 
11 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 

50 
21 
21 
20 
16 
16 
16 
14 
13 
14 
13 
13 
11 
10 
10 


14, 000 
60, 630 
13, 720 
31, 700 

44, 500 

32,900 

50,500 

5,950 

10,600 

4,620 

5,020 

4,820 

276, 000 

104, 300 

114, 000 

14, 800 

99, 000 

30,400 

44, 800 

123, 800 

143, 250 

6,890 

25,970 

63, 500 

39, 100 

114,300 
32, 550 

101, 000 
40,846 
52, 800 
62, 192 
48,483 
57,562 
20,428 
29, 013 
61, 658 
12, 500 

114, 028 
13,440 
76,400 
23,661 
16, 600 
15,301 
10,434 
36, 247 
34,476 

294, 000 
231, 000 
50, 000 
23, 280 
19,300 
14,500 
33, 800 
25, 800 
64, 200 
36, 900 
22, 500 
12, 300 
16,400 
92, 891 
28, 550 


24, 250 
93,400 
19, 890 
49, 700 

108, 000 
43,900 
84, 200 
12, 150 

27,995 

9,012 

8,769 

8,650 

593, 000 

164, 100 

218, 700 

20,460 
176, 900 

82, 156 
139, 700 
217, 700 
304, 800 

11, 100 

35,900 
118, 000 

63, 000 

309,930 
50, 860 

141, 000 
62, 000 
90, 650 

130, 000 
88, 630 
75, 800 
47, 200 

37, 000 
84, 800 
17, 700 

146, 000 
19, 000 

131, 000 
39, 200 
37, 250 
21,860 
30, 250 
59, 100 
50,420 

480, 000 
409,520 
246, 000 
39, 300 
68, 000 
51, 000 
119, 000 
57, 140 
137, 760 
62, 450 

38, 550 
22, 360 
30, 720 

157,410 
55,200 


12.9 
14.1 
12.7 
15.0 

24.0 
15.7 
24.4 

47.5 

34.0 
64.8 
57.7 
84.8 
24.7 
29.2 
22.7 
31.0 
27.5 
42.8 
46.5 
22.2 
27.5 
44.3 
23.5 
34.0 
26.2 

42.4 
21.0 
28.8 
23.3 
20.2 
38.2 
26.9 
10.7 
61.9 

8.8 
13.6 
33.3 

9.5 
31.5 
28.5 
24.4 
44.9 
36.9 
30.6 
23.7 
11.3 

20:2 
19.1 
10.0 
31.2 
65.8 
98.2 
75.7 
84.8 
- 50.5 
46.5 
58.4 
54.5 
31.1 
17.5 
46.8 


1.74 
1.54 


Kennebec 


1.45 


Connecticut 


Orford 


1.57 


HUDSON RIVER 
STREAMS. 

Hudson 


Mechanicsville 

Ft. Edward 

Dunsbach Ferry... 
Dolgeville 


2.42 


Hudson 


1.33 


Mohawk 


1.66 


East Canada Creek 


2.04 


MIDDLE ATLANTIC 

STREAMS. 

Passaic 


Dundee Dam 

Low Forks 


2.64 


Neshaminy Creek 


1.95 


Perkiomen 


Frederick . . 


1.75 


Tohickon Creek 

Susquehanna 


Point pleasant 


1.80> 
2.15 


Susquehanna (West) . . 
Potomac 


Williamsport 

Port of Rocks 

Frederick 


1.58 
1.92 


Monocacy 


1.38- 


Delaware 


Riegelsville 

Philadelphia 

Millville. 


1.79 


Schuylkill 


2.70' 


Shenandoah 


3.12 


Susquehanna 


Wilkes-Barre 

Danville 


1.76 


Susquehanna 


2.13 


Patapsco... . 




1.61 


Chenango 


Binghamton 

Newport 


1.38- 


Juanita 


1.86 


Susquehanna 


Binghamton 

Augusta 


1.61 


SOUTH ATLANTIC 
STREAMS. 

Savannah 


2.71 


Ocmulgee 


Macon 


1.56 


Black Warrior 


Tuscaloosa... 


1.4a 


James 


Buchanan 


1.52 


Cape Fear 


Fayetteville 

Salisbury 


1.72 


Yadkin 


2.10 


Chattahoochee 

Coosa 


West Point 

Riverside 


1.83 
1.32 


Broad of Georgia 

Oconee.... . 


Carlton, Ga 

Dublin 


2.31 
1.27 


James 


Cartersville 

Carters, Ga 

Selma 


1.37 


Coosawatte 


1.42 


Alabama 


1.28 


Etowah 


Canton, Ga 

Alston, S. C 

Resaca, Ga 

Glasgow, Va 

Madison, S. C 

Woodbury, Ga 

Sturdevant, Ala 

Columbus, Miss 

Wheeling 


1.42 


Broad of Carolina 

Oostanaula 


1.72 

1.66 


James, N. Fk 


2.25- 


Tugalloo 


1.43 


Flint 


1.84 


Tallapoosa 


1.63 


Tombigbee 


1.48 


OHIO RIVER BASIN. 

Ohio 


1.63 


Tennessee 


Chattanooga 


1.77 


*Miami 


4.92 


Clarion 


Clairon, Pa 

Near Columbus 

Columbus 


1.68 


Upper Scioto 


3.52 


Olentangy 


3.52 


Lower Scioto 


..do 


3.52 


Little Tennessee 

New 


Judson, N. C 

Radford, Va 

Alderson, W. Va. . . 
Bryson 


2.22: 
2.15 


Greenbrier 


1.69 


Tuckaseegee 


1.71 


Hiwasse 


Murphy, N. C 

Asheville, N. C 

Knoxville 


1.81 


French" Broad 


1.87 




1.70 


Hiwasse 


Reliance 


1.93 









PAST AND FUTURE FLOODS. 
TABLE NO. 29— Continued. 



97 



Stream. 



Place measured. 



Drainage 


Length 


area — 


square 


record 


miles. 


—years. 



Average 
yearly 
flood 
flow — 
second- 
feet. 



Maxi- 
mum 
flood— 
second- 



Maxi- 
mum 
flood 
per 
square 
mile — 
second- 
feet. 



Ratio 
of maxi- 
mum to 
average 

flood. 



ST. LAWRENCE RIVER 
BASIN. 

Genesee 

Genesee 

Moose , 



UPPER MISSISSIPPI 
RIVER BASIN. 

Mississippi 

Pine 



Mississippi. 
Chippewa. . 



MISSOURI RIVER BASIN. 

Kansas 

Kansas 

West Gallatin 

Platte 

Madison 

Milk 

North Platte, Neb 

Cachela Poudre 

Loupe 

Bear Creek 

South Platte (S. Fork) 

Republican 

Blue 

St. Vrains Creek 



LOWER MISSISSIPPI 
BASIN. 

Arkansas 

Arkansas , 



WESTERN GULF OF 
MEXICO. 

Rio Grande 

Brazos 

Colorado 



GREAT BASIN. 

Bear 

Bear 

Provo 

Humboldt 

Humboldt 

Humboldt (S. Fork) 

Logan 

Mill Creek 



Parley's Creek 

Carson (West Fork) . 
Big Cottonwood 



City Creek. 

Ogden 

Truckee... 
Truck ee 



Truckee. 
Weber . . 



SOUTHERN PACIFIC 
COAST. 

Kern 

Sacramento 

Tuolumne 

Kings 



Rochester, N. Y ... 
..do 

Moose River, N. Y. 



St. Paul, Minn 

Pine River Reser 

voir, Minn 

Above Sandy 

River, Minn 

Chippewa Falls, 

Wis 



Lecompton, Kans. . 
Lawrence, Kans . . . 

Salesville, Mont 

Columbus, Neb 

Red Bluff, Mont... 

Havre, Mont 

North Platte, Neb . 
Fort Collins, Colo . . 

Columbus, Neb 

Forkscreek, Colo. . . 

Denver, Colo 

Junction, Kans 

Manhattan, Kans. . 
Lyons, Colo 



Canon City, Colo. 
Pueblo, Colo 



Del Norte, Colo. 

Waco, Tex 

Austin, Tex 



Collingston,Utah. . 

Preston, Idaho 

Provo, Utah 

Golconda. Nev 

Oreana, Nev 

Elko,Nev 

Logan, Utah 

Salt Lake City, 

Utah 

..do 

Woodward, Cal 

Salt Lake City, 

Utah 

..do 

Ogden 

Tahoe, Cal 

State Line, Colo. 

Nev , 

Vista, Nev 

Unita, Utah 



Bakersfield, Cal. 

Jellys Ferry 

LaGrange, Cal.. 
Sanger, Cal 



2,365 

2,365 

346 



35, 700 

452 

4,510 

5,300 



58, 550 

58, 550 

860 

56, 900 

2,085 

7,300 

28, 500 

1,060 

13, 500 

345 

3,840 

25, 840 

9,490 

209 



3,060 
4,600 



1,400 
30, 800 
37, 000 



6,000 
4,500 
640 
10, 800 
13, 800 
1,150 
218 

21.3 
50.1 
70 

48.5 
19.2 

360 

519 

955 
1,520 
1,600 



2,345 
9,300 
1,500 
1,740 



12S 
12 
11 



22, 100 

22, 400 



42, 223 
1,051 
6,250 

36, 454 



81, 000 

59, 300 
5,800 

25, 000 
6, 500 
3,919 

17, 640 
3,133 

14,940 
1,291 
1,900 

20, 650 

27, 500 



3,757 
5,430 



4,350 
55, 000 
43, 000 



6,550 
4,580 
2,130 
1,400 
1,260 
1,120 
1,390 

56 
142 
900 

460 
82 



774 

260 
930 
800 



4,025 

129, 000 

18,900 

19, 000 



50, 000 


21.0 


36, 500 


15.4 


6,760 


19.6 


80, 800 


2.3 


1,586 


3.5 


9,572 


2.1 


64, 400 


12.1 


221, 000 


3.8 


221, 000 


3.8 


10, 750 


12.5 


51, 100 


.9 


10, 275 


4.9 


9,600 


1.3 


25, 500 


.9 


5,611 


5.3 


27, 000 


2.0 


2,260 


6.5 


5,570 


1.5 


47, 520 


1.8 


68, 770 


7.3 


1,280 


6.1 


6,690 


2.2 


11, 060 


2.4 


7,670 


5.5 


132, 000 


4.3 


72, 600 


2.0 


11, 600 


1.9 


8,500 


1.9 


4,150 


6.5 


3,160 


.3 


3,047 


.2 


1,478 


1.3 


2,450 


11.2 


112 


.5 


274 


5.5 


1,570 


22.2 


835 


17.3 


164 


8.6 


3,257 


9.1 


1,340 


2.6 


15, 300 


16.1 


8,940 


5.9 


7,980 


5.0 


9,505 


4.1 


254, 000 


27.3 


52, 000 


34.7 


43, 930 


25.2 



2.26 
1.63 
1.17 



1.91 
1.51 
1.53 

1.77 



2.72 
3.72 
1.86 
2.05 
1.58 
2.46 
1.44 
1.79 
1.81 
1.75 
2.94 
2.31 
2.50 
1.30 



1.78 
2.04 



1.76 
2.40 
1.69 



1.77 
1.86 
1.95 
2.26 
2.42 
1.32 
1.77 

2.00 
1.93 
1.75 

1.82 
2.00 
1.93 
1.74 

2.91 
1.81 
1.66 



2.36 
1.97 
2.75 
2.31 



-7 R L 



98 



REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 
TABLE NO. 29— Concluded. 



Stream. 



Place measured. 



Drainage 
area — 
square 
miles. 



Length 

record 
—years. 



Average 
yearly 
flood 
flow— 

second- 
feet. 



Maxi- 
mum 
flood— 
second- 
feet. 



Maxi- 
mum 
flood 
per 
square 
mile— 
second- 
feet. 



Ratio 
of maxi- 
mum to 
average 

flood. 



NORTHERN PACIFIC 
COAST. 

Columbia 

Willamette 

Spokane 

Weiser 

Umatilla 

Cedar '. 



The Dalles, Ore... 

Albany, Ore 

Spokane, Wash... 

Weiser, Idaho 

Gibbon, Ore 

Ravensdale, Wash 



237, 000 

4,860 

4,000 

1,670 

353 

170 



31 


754, 100 


1, 390, 000 


5.9 


19 


115, 500 


188, 000 


38.7 


18 


23,550 


35, 200 


8.8 


12 


9,732 


17,940 


10.7 


10 


3,808 


10, 000 


28.4 


10 


4,612 


10, 800 


63.5 



1.85 
1.63 
1.50 
1.85 
2.63 
2.34 



* Miami River rates are crest rates. 

Mr. Fuller has shown that regardless of size or character of water- 
shed, the ratio of the greatest flood to the average flood on each of our 
rivers, is much the same, viewed broadly and covering like periods of 
time. That is to say, a comparison on the ratio basis seems to eliminate 
size of drainage area and character of watershed, two of the most 
troublesome factors in the problem, and apparently reduces the differ- 
ences to the chance combination of circumstances which may produce a 
great flood on a given watershed, and fail to occur upon another 'in a 
like period. 

This method of comparison further permits, to some extent at least, 
a utilization of our relatively short American records to give us informa- 
tion that it might be expected a longer record might, upon the average, 
approximately substantiate. Thus, this method of comparison, apparently 
justifies the adding together of all the yearly records from all the rivers 
of the middle and eastern United States, setting down the yearly floods 
of each stream as ratios of the average of each stream, thus securing 
a composite record of great length as of one stream. The record thus 
produced by Mr. Fuller is some 1,672 years in length, and by arranging 
the ratios in the order of their magnitude, it was possible to draw 
valuable deductions on the theory of probability as to the flood ratio 
likely to occur upon any stream in a given period of years. With this 
ratio determined and the average flood of the given stream known, which 
can be approximately determined by a relatively small number of floods, 
a valuable deduction can be drawn as to the probable great flood and the 
likelihood of its occurrence in a given period of years. 

A determination by this method is no more valuable, and probably 
not less valuable than the actuary tables of the life insurance companies. 
It cannot be expected to successfully predict the maximum flood upon 
any river in a given period of years any more than the actuary tables can 
show the life of a particular individual, but, in the long run in the 
indefinite future upon any stream, the conclusion based on the ratio 
method of comparison will probably fit the occurrences, and the least 
that may be said is that there is apparently no better means of determ- 
ining the likely future occurrences. 



PAST AND FUTURE FLOODS. 



99 



LENGTH OF PEEIOD AND PEOBABLE EATIO. 

If the procedure outlined above is granted, it is practicable to 
deduce mathematically the size of the ratio likely to occur in a given 
period of years. The following table is quoted from Mr. Fuller's paper, 
and shows the ratios that are likely to occur in the several yearly periods 
named. 

TABLE NO. 30— RELATION BETWEEN FLOOD TO BE EXPECTED IN A SERIES OF 
YEARS AND THE AVERAGE YEARLY FLOOD. 

(From paper on Flood Flows by Weston E. Fuller, American Society of Civil Engineers, October 15, 

1913.) 

Ratio of largest 

flood to 

average yearly flood. 

2.36 



Time in years. 

1 

5 

10 

25 



Ratio of largest 

flood to 

average yearly flood- 

1.00 

1.56 

1.80 

2. 12 



Time in years. 

50 

100 

500 

1,000 , 



2.60 

3.16 

3.40 

Thus, in one year there is an even chance that the average flood will 
be equaled, in ten years the chances are even that a flood of 1.8 times 
the average will be equaled, and that in 1,000 years the chances are even 
that a flood will occur 3.4 times the average flood. In a way therefore, 
this procedure tends to fix a more or less definite maximum to provide 
for which, designs may be made, or, if the property to be protected is 
sufficiently valuable, or if many lives are to be protected as in the flood 
protection of a great city, the factor of safety can be provided and the 
works may be made adequate to provide against the greatest future con- 
tingency probable, with as liberal an allowance for error or the eccen- 
tricity of chance, as cost may permit or the value of the protection may 
warrant. 

FLOOD EATIOS AT PEORIA. 

It is practicable by the use of the rating curve at Peoria previously 
mentioned, to determine roughly, floods of past years. It will be instruc- 
tive to compare these flood rates and determine their relation to the 
average flood at this place. A nearly continuous record is available at 
Peoria since 1867, a period of forty-eight years. Table No. 31 shows 
the five greatest floods within this period ; the ratio of each to the average 
flood and the probable frequency of occurrence based on the forty-eight 
year record. 

TABLE NO. 31— COMPARISON OF FLOOD RATIOS AT PEORIA. 
Length of record— 48 years. Average flood— 40,800 second-feet. 



Year. 


Flood 
in second- 
feet. 


Ratio 

to average 

flood. 


Comparative 

expectancy 

—years. 


1904 . ..... 


80, 000 
73, 000 
72, 000 
68. 000 
64, 000 


1.96 
1.78 
1.76 
1.66 
1.56 


48 


1913 


24 


1908 


16 


1892 


12 


1867 


10 







On the basis of the record at Peoria, we might therefore, expect a 
flood equal to that of 1904 once in forty-eight } r ears, a flood equal to 
that in 1913 twice in forty-eight years, or once in twenty-four years, a 



100 



REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 



flood equal to that in 1908, three times in forty-eight years or once in 
sixteen years, that is to say, based on the record that exists, the chances 
would be even that the floods as stated would occur in the lengths of 
time mentioned. As to whether this record is sufficiently long to warrant 
conclusions as to frequency and magnitude is open to question. 

FULLER FORMULA APPLIED TO RATIOS. 

An examination of the above Illinois River data, and the large 
amount of flood data shown upon Table No. 29 would incline one to the 
belief that the broad experience on many rivers over long periods is of 
greater significance than the short period of record upon the Illinois. 
There seems to be no better means of applying this broad experience 
than the formula suggested by Mr. Fuller, which is in no sense theoreti- 
cal, but is the concrete epitome of the most lengthy experience which it 
is possible to apply to the matter. Expressed mathematically, this 
formula is as follows : 

R = 1 + 0.8 log. T 
in which 

T = time in years, R = the ratio of the greatest flood rate likely 
to be expected within the time T to the average annual maximum flood 
of the stream. 

Mr. Fuller has further summarized the large amount of data shown 
in Table No. 29 for the purpose of disclosing the average effect of the 
size of the drainage area upon flood rates, and demonstrates that the 
flood flows vary more nearly to the .8 power of the drainage area than 
any other single function of watershed size. Various other hydraulicians 
have placed this ratio as low as the .6 power, but there is probably no con- 
clusion in this regard that is based upon so large an amount of data as 
that of Mr. Fuller. An examination of the average floods, as indicated 
by the rating curves at Peoria, Beardstown and Pearl varying from 
13,000 to 26,000 square miles watershed area, indicates that this relation 
holds very nearly true for the Illinois River, Peoria and Pearl being in 
substantially exact agreement, and Beardstown varying from this rule 
not more than 10 per cent. 

Table No. 32 is prepared from the Fuller formula, and indicates 
the flood rates most likely to occur once at the place named within the 
yearly periods stated. 



TABLE NO. 32— FLOOD EXPECTATION IN VARIOUS PERIODS ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 





Drainage 
area — 
square 
miles. 


Average 
annual 
flood 
Q(are)— 
second- 
feet. 


Coeffi- 
cient c 

_Q.(ave.) 


Maximum flood rate expectation— second-feet— 
once in— 


Place. 


16 years 
1 + .8 log 
T = 1.96. 


30 years 
l + .8log 
T = 2.18. 


50 years 
1 +.8 log 
T=2.36. 


100 years 
l + .81og 
T=2.60. 


1000 years 




A .8 


l + .8log 
T = 3.40. 


Peoria 


13,479 
23, 444 
26, 182 
27,914 


40, 250 
62,500 
68,460 


20 
18 
20 
20 


79, 000 
122, 000 
134, 000 
141, 000 


87, 750 
136, 500 
149, 200 
157, 000 


95,200 
148,000 
161, 500 
170, 000 


104,800 
162,500 
177,900 
187, 200 


136,900 


Beardstown 

Pearl 


213,000 
232,900 


Mouth of river 


245, 000 









T=Time in years. A=Drainage area in sq. miles. C=Coefficient of run-off. 
Q=Rate of flow in second-feet. Q(ave.)=CA-s. Q(max)=CA-s (i+.81og T). 



PAST AND FUTURE FLOODS. 101 

A comparison of these figures with those hereinbefore given, as 
indicated by the flood of 1904, indicate that the 1904 flood is one that 
should reasonably be expected about once in sixteen years, that a flood of 
about 95,200 second-feet may be expected at Peoria once in fifty years, 
a flood of about 104,800 second-feet once in one hundred years, and a 
flood of 137,000 second-feet once in one thousand years, with correspond- 
ing flood rates at Beardstown and Pearl as noted in the table. 

If it is assumed that the flood of 1844 was about one-third larger 
than the 1904 flood at Peoria, or say, 110,000 second-feet, then this flood 
would have been the normal maximum flood in a 140-year period accord- 
ing to the Fuller formula. The flood actually occurred seventy-one 
years ago. 

To some, the above reasoning may seem to involve too many assump- 
tions to reach conclusions of merit. It is quite likely that time will 
come when the science of meteorology reaches a sufficient perfection (and 
that will be when it has a record behind it sufficiently long) to permit 
conclusions as to the size, shape and intensity of great rainstorms in the 
different localities of the eastern United States. At such time the above 
line of reasoning may be modified in that it may be practicable to narrow 
or widen the chances in certain localities, but at the present time there 
seems to be as good a chance for the great Ohio storm in 1913 to cen- 
tralize on the Illinois Eiver as to cover a great oblong as it did, spanning 
Indiana and Ohio, with the fringes of the storm in Illinois and Indiana. 
Until such matters are better understood, conservatism must assume that 
these great storms may happen anywhere in the general region of their 
occurrence. 

CONCLUSIONS AS TO FLOOD EATES. 

It will serve our present purposes to apply to the recently leveed 
Illinois valley the greatest flood that has left an authentic record of 
rate, namely the flood of 1904, and also to show the effect on water levels 
that would be occasioned by a flood about 35 per cent greater. Viewing 
the experience broadly of all the rivers in the country, these floods would 
approximately correspond to the record floods of sixteen years and fifty 
years respectively. 

In the application of remedies for the conditions as they may be 
disclosed, it will be pertinent to consider the results that might be pro- 
duced by even larger floods, and the data hereinbefore given will furnish 
a background for the ultimate probabilities of the future. 



PART VII. 

FUTURE FLOOD HEIGHTS AND THE EFFECT ON 
AGRICULTURAL LEVEES. 

Having determined approximately the magnitude of the recent 
floods on the Illinois Eiver, and the most probable flow rates to be 
expected hereafter, it now becomes possible to apply these floods to the 
modified river valley as existing today through the construction of 
levees, and as it will probably exist a few years hence when the levee 
districts now proposed are completed. 

COMPUTED PROFILES. 

Formulas and coefficients governing steady flow in uniform chan- 
nels are well understood among engineers, and fairly definite values 
governing the ordinary conditions are in general use. 

In a river, however, the conditions differ quite materially from the 
artificial channel under the usually assumed conditions of uniform flow, 
and while the flow formulas usually applied to the artificial conditions, 
are used, it is important to check the values in so far as this is possible 
by comparison with actual occurrences upon the stream under considera- 
tion so far as these occurrences can be determined and weighed. 

CHEZY FORMULA. 

The formula used in the following computations is the one perhaps 
most widely used by engineers in estimates of the flow of water in 
channels. The formula is as follows: 

in which V is the average velocity of the water in a given cross-section 
expressed in feet per second, C is a coefficient, r is the hydraulic radius 
in feet, and s is the slope. 

In applying this formula to the conditions on the Illinois Eiver, it 
is particularly important that the value C be determined under as many 
conditions as possible, for in this problem it will be necessary to deal 
with some very irregular cross-sections, especially where certain reaches 
of the stream are partly leveed, and at certain other places within the 
river valley it will be necessary to deal with cross-sections partly within 
the prism of the river channel and partly upon land where some of the 
floods have spread out to a great width with only a shallow depth. 

It is believed that in view of the accurate topographical survey, and 
the large number of flow measurements during the 1904 flood, the values 
here shown merit considerable confidence. 

In applying the flow formulas to the Illinois Eiver conditions, it has 
been necessary to read slopes from gage records that are ordinarily 
recorded only to the nearest tenth. It was, therefore, thought necessary 

102 



FUTURE FLOOD HEIGHTS AND THE EFFECT ON LEVEES. 



103 



to consider reaches of river not shorter than would produce in general 
two or three feet of fall so that errors in observation of slope might 
produce a minimum of effect. 

All of the flow computations have been based upon an average cross- 
section for each reach considered, the average crogs-section being the 
numerical average of a sufficient number of sections uniformly spaced to 
give a fair determination of the facts. In the long reaches the sections 
were about five miles apart. 

BANK-FULL CONDITIONS. 

Table No. 33 shows the result of computations to determine the 
prevailing flow coefficients under approximately bank-full conditions of 
the stream, that is, just prior to the water forsaking the channel of the 
stream and partially traveling by way of the bottom lands. A number of 
flow measurements were made at this stage of water, which has permitted 
fairly accurate estimates of the flows prevailing. It will be observed 
that the results are reasonably consistent for hydraulic computations. 
The value of "C" for the entire river averages 103, with a corresponding 
value of .0257 for '"n" in Kutter's formula. 

TABLE NO. 33— VALUES IN FLOW FORMULA DURING BANK-FULL CONDITIONS OF 
1904 AT VARIOUS PLACES ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 





GRAFTON TO 


KAMPSVILLE DAM. 
















Distance = 166,200 feet. 












Foot of 


Head of 




ft 


© 


1 




43 
o 
03 
© 




3 




reach. 


reach. 




i 




o 

03 
© 




>la 


B 










© 
1 


> © 
oS w 


# g 


^ 


S 








u 




Pr 








© 












>.© 








Date of discharge measure- 


03 


I 


03 


© 
© 




OS 


'o 


_g 


.1=! P. 


03 

is 


II 

of 
fe- 
o 


© 


ment. 


si 

ea"© 


i 

S> 
3 

© 

be 
03 


•5" 
•2 1 

C3 £ 
> > 
© © 


i 

M 
"© 

© 

SP 


© 

J, 

"3 


'-3 
© 

m 


© 
> 

©t) 

1/3 O 

OS © 

© OT 


W> ■ 

o3"S 

©=2 

>o 

a 

03 


^1 

ft>H 


S3 

ft 

£^ 

03 | 
© 1 


M 

a 

o 




3 


O 


H 


o 


h 


£ 


3 


< 


o 


§ 






May 10 


428. 56 
423.96 


17.6 
13.0 


433. 55 

428. 45 


24.45 
19.35 


5.0 
4.5 


i 58, 300 
i 34, 600 


12.44 
12.02 


25, 050 

18, 850 


2.33 
1.83 


19.0 
15.5 


' 98 
89 


.0313- 


May 23 


. 0336 


May 24 


423.66 
422. 76 


12.7 
11.8 


428. 10 
424. 80 


19.00 
15.70 


4.4 
2.0 


1 33, 400 
116,370 


11.99 
11.12 


18, 160 
15, 720 


1.91 
1.04 


15.1 
13.6 


96 
81 


. 0305 


June 27 


.0366 






Aver ages of " C " and " N " 


91 


. 0330' 































KAMPSVILLE DAM TO PEARL. 

Distance = 61,800 feet. 














May 21 

June 3 


429. 73 
427. 48 
426. 43 


20.60 
18.35 
17.30 


431. 53 
429. 12 
427. 62 


11.83 
9.42 
7.92 


1.8 
1.6 
1.2 


* 31, 800 
2 27, 450 
2 17, 460 


2 2. 33 

2 2. 56 
2 1.86 


16, 670 
13, 840 
12, 840 


1.91 
1.98 
1.40 


12.6 
11.1 
10.5 


100 
117 
95 


. 0270' 
. 0220' 


June 24 


. 0284 






Aver ages of " C " and " N " 


104 


. 0258 































PEARL TC 

Distance 


VALLEY CITY. 

= 97,300 feet. 














May 21 


431.53 
429. 12 
427. 62 


11.83 
9.42 
7.92 


435. 25 
432. 67 
430. 67 


13.50 
10.92 
8.92 


3.7 
3.6 
3.1 


2 31, 800 
2 27, 450 
2 17, 460 


2 2. 33 
2 2. 56 
2 1.86 


14, 000 
11,500 
9,900 


2.27 
2.38 
1.76 


12.5 
10.8 
10.4 


104 
118 
97 


.0248 
0207 


June 3 


June 24 


0256 






Averages of "C" and "N" 


106 


. 0233 



























104 



REPORT ON ILLINOIS EIVEE. 



TABLE NO. 33— Concluded. 

LA GRANGE DAM TO BEARDSTOWN. 

Distance = 59,700 feet. 





Foot of 


Head of 




fr 


os 




So'd 


o 
03 

03 




J3 
3 




reacu. 


reach. 




d 


A, 


J. 


03 § 


>ls 


a 










A 

SaO 

c3 


03 
03 
fH 

Pi 


03 W 


.a 

03 
fcJO 
03 


> 
II 


CO 




"o3 


^ 




^ 


Date of discharge measure- 


£ . 


<£ 


£ . 


<2 




■§ 


o 




s^ 


03 


bo 
03 
(-i 

03 

03 

b 


£ 


ment. 


■gtt 

■as 

•2 1 

> > 


J 

M 

'S 
A 

<o 

too 

03 


5 1 


1 
I 
<c 

03 


1 

J 
73 


loQ 


"as 
f> 

03 'O 
3g 

eg o 

03 03 
03 to 


03 ^ 
►> 03 

S3 d 


03 03 

03 gj 
"S 03 

5 ® 

ft Sh 


03 

03^J 
TJ 03 

03 1 
03 1 


pi 
M 

a 

o 




H 


O 


H 


o 


f^ 


S 


§ 


<J 


5 a 






J une 1 


436. 93 
435. 73 


18.7 
17.5 


438. 65 
437. 15 


11.4 
9.9 


1.7 
1.4 


319,800 
« 14, 950 


3 1.46 
31.22 


12,900 
11, 300 


1.54 
1.32 


9.9 
9.6 


92 

88 


.0276 


June 23 


.0292 






Averages of "C" and "N" 


90 


.0284 

























HAVANA TO COPPERAS CREEK DAM. 

Distance = 89,300 feet. 



May 28 


442. 87 
440. 97 
439.37 


11.2 
9.3 

7.7 


444. 05 
442. 25 
440. 75 


46.3 
14.5 
13.0 


1.2 
1.3 

1.4 


* 16, 650 

* 12, 120 
«9,830 


4 2.22 
4 1.94 
«1.90 


11, 360 
9,350 
7,650 


1.47 
1.30 
1.28 


9.7 

8.8 
7.8 


129 
115 
116 


.0203 


June 21 


.0219 


July 12 


.0209 




3"and"N" 




Averages of "( 


120 


.0210 



























COPPERAS CREEK DAM TO PEKIN. 

Distance = 85,000 feet. 



May 27 

June 10 

June 18 

July 2 

Averages of "C" and"N 



444. 43 
444. 03 
442. 83 
440. 93 



11.7 
11.3 
10.1 

8.2 



446. 17 
445. 67 
444. 17 
442. 27 



* 14, 660 
5 12, 940 
« 9,070 
5 6,670 



'2.44 
» 2. 38 
61.94 
•1.77 



8,860 
8,130 
7,100 
5,400 



1.65 
1.59 
1.28 
1.23 



10.2 
9.9 

9.5 
7.9 



PEKIN TO PEORIA— LOWER BRIDGE. 

Distance = 49,600 feet. 



May 27 


446. 17 
445. 67 
444. 17 
442. 27 


7.6 
7.1 
5.6 
3.7 


447. 82 
447. 32 
445. 72 
443. 82 


12.0 
11.5 
9.9 

8.0 


1.6 
1.6 
1.5 
1.5 


s 14, 660 
5 12,940 
5 9,070 
5 6,670 


5 2.44 
*2.3S 
5 1.94 
&1.77 


8,360 
7,520 
6,220 
4,440 


1.76 
1.72 
1.46 
1.50 


10.0 
9.3 
8.3 
7.2 


98 
100 

92 
101 


.0255 


June 10 


.0244 


June 18 


.0261 


July 2 


.0224 






Averages of "C" and "N" 


98 


.0246 

























Numerical average of all observations 103 



Explanation — 

1 Indicates measurements made by U. S. Engineers in 1904 at Twelve Mile Island. 
'Indicates measurements made by U. S. Engineers in 1904 at Pearl. 

3 Indicates measurements made by U. S. Engineers in 1904 at Beardstown. 

4 Indicates measurements made by U. S. Engineers in 1904 at Havana. 
• Indicates measurements made by U. S. Engineers in 1904 at Peoria. 



FLOOD OF 1904. 

It is seldom that a flood so accurately measured as the flood of 1904, 
passes through a valley so well determined by surveys, as are the bottom 
lands of the Illinois. It will be instructive therefore, to apply this flood 



FUTURE FLOOD HEIGHTS AND THE EFFECT ON LEVEES. 



105 



to the cross-sections and slopes prevailing at the time and determine 
what values must be applied in the flow formula to reproduce that which 
was observed. 

Table No. 34 is a statement of the principal figures resulting from 
this computation. 

It will be observed that the average values of C in the several 
reaches between Grafton and Peoria are much smaller than the values 
for C in the previous table covering bank-full conditions. The values of 
C under the 1904 flood flow conditions range from as high as 57 in the 
lower part of the river to as low as 26 in the reach between Beardstown 
and Havana. 

Table No. 34 also shows the principal elements of the average chan- 
nel section proper, that is, excluding the flooded bottom lands and con- 
sidering only the channel of the river within its banks. The table shows 
an estimate of flow in the river channel based on C = 100. This flow 
has been compared with the total flow for the purpose of approximating 
the flow passing by land. 



TABLE NO. 34— VALUES IN FLOW FORMULA DURING APEX OF MEASURED FLOOD 
OF 1904 AT VARIOUS PLACES ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 

Note.— "C" refers to Chezy's Formula V = C— \Aus. 



Date. 



Reach. 

















4J 


i 


$ 






08 




<B 


A 




o 




cS 


O 


CD 






A 


A 






<o 


05 


h3 


h 



Total valley. 



r 



Channel section. 



SO 
to 



Land section. 



^ 






Apr. 


6 


Apr. 


6 


Apr. 


6 


Apr. 


4 


Apr. 


1 


Mar. 


28 


Apr. 


4 


Apr. 


4 



Grafton to 

Pearl 

Pearl to 

La Grange 

Dam 

Grafton to 

La Grange 

Dam 

Beardstown 

to Havana 
Havana to 

Pekin 

Pekin to 

Peoria 

Beardstown 

to Peoria. . 
Grafton to 

Peoria 



228, 000 

182, 000 

410, 000 
164, 200 
174,500 
49, 600 
388, 300 
858, 000 



9.3 

6.4 

15.7 
4.1 
3.4 
3.6 
10.5 
27.3 



122, 000 
113, 300 

118, 300 
95, 000 
85, 000 
81, 000 
89, 000 

103, 500 



114, 500 

130, 850 

122, 000 
218, 050 
189, 600 
74, 100 
183, 000 
158, 500 



8.5 
7.1 

7.9 
10 

12.5 
11.5 
11.4 

9.5 



31, 000 

27, 000 

29, 000 
21, 070 
23, 200 

23, 000 
20, 000 

24, 500 



17.5 

14.6 

16.1 
15.9 
16.4 
17.6 
16.0 
15.6 



83, 000 

62, 000 

72, 000 
42, 300 
41,600 
82, 000 
43, 500 
51,500 



83, 500 
103, 850 

93, 000 
196,980 
166,400 

51, 100 
163, 000 
134,000 



7.2 
6.2 

6.7 
10.8 
12.1 
10.1 
11.0 

9.0 



39, 000 

51,300 

46, 300 
52, 700 
43,400 
— 1, 000 
45, 500 
52, 000 



All this information would seem to indicate, that in general from 
40 to 50 per cent of the flood traveled by way of the land, leaving from 
50 to 60 per cent traveling by the channel proper. There are doubtlesi 
some places where the flow by land is much less than these average 
values. 



106 



REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 



EFFECT OF TEEES. 

The reason was not apparent at first why the values of C were so 
much smaller in the middle reaches of the river than in the valley below 
the La Grange dam. An examination of the survey sheets, however, dis- 



TABLE NO. 35. 



Table: and Diagram Illustrating 

the Effects ofTrees and Brush 

Upon the Average Flood FLow Values 

in Certain Illinois River Cross Sections 

During the Flood of 1904 



Id Accompany the Report of 

Alvord&Burdick 



Ev)0\heers 



Chicaqjo 



Reach of 
River 


Averaqe Value of "C" in 

Total Flood Cross Section 

of Valley at 

Apex of Flood 


Approximate 

Percentage of 

Land in 

Timber and Brush 


Grafton io Pearl 


57 


42% 


Pearl to La Granoje 


55 


23% 


Grafton to LaGranqe 


56 


30% 


Bearcbtovwi to Havana 


ze 


42% 


Havana to Peki'n 


Z9 


58% 


PeKintoFteoria 


38 


45% 


Beac^dstown to Peoria 


28 


52% 


Grafton to Peoria 


38 


39% 



100 



M 
5 



50 



\ 



K 



^ 



A 



\ 



Diagram illustrative 
0FTHE GENERALTENDENCY 

forTrees and Brush 
to Retard Flows 



\- 



50% )0O% 

PVcent of Bottom Land inTimloer and Brush 












y*- 







, . 




ooo_n 

jj 3OMA510 AJ OT JflAaq 
5 a MA J MOTTO 8 HI flaaMllTjlO TV!3T7X3 

'to -f-toqsJ? ®r(T yris. 

xbicrau8 A oaovjA 



. ■ - : +.■:;,' <T nHboibrd 



















w . -. - - J 






-■-.> ■ 










m 



FUTURE FLOOD HEIGHTS AND THE EFFECT ON LEVEES. 



107 



closes the fact that although the mean depths were less below La Grange, 
the bottom lands were about 70 per cent cleared of trees and brush at 
the time of the survey 1902 to 1904, and presumably during the flood, 
whereas in the reach between Beardstown and Peoria, the bottoms were 
only about one-half cleared of timber and brush. The data seem to 
indicate that on the Illinois bottoms for the relations between stream 
cross-sections and valley cross-sections there prevailing, the bottoms 
about 30 per cent timbered, gave average C values of 56 as compared 
to 28 for cross-sections 52 per cent timbered. (See Table No. 35.) 
Figures 29 and 30 illustrate the timbered conditions in two of the 
reaches. It will be noted that the reach giving the lowest C value was 
much the more heavily timbered. 

It is not expected that these figures are of general scientific interest. 
They would not be applicable to other streams without correction for the 
relation between the bottom land sections and the stream cross-sections 
proper. It is believed however, that the above information will be of 
material assistance in estimating flood heights under the changed con- 
ditions of the future, and to avoid being misled by some excessive flood 
heights of the distant past before any land was cleared. 

TABLE NO. 36— TABLE ILLUSTRATING THE RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF TIMBER 
AND BRUSH ON A COMPLETELY LEVEED REACH, I.E., FROM MILE 40 TO MILE 60— 
ILLINOIS RIVER IN FLOOD OF 1913. 





Section at— 




Mile 40. 


Mile 45. 


Mile49.7. 


Mile 55. 


Mile 60. 




35,500 

32,920 

93% 


42, 800 
32i 430 

76% 


32, 850 

26, 880 

82% 


35, 100 

33,400 

95% 


26, 400 
23, 510 




Per cent channel section to total 


89% 










87% 
2,220 
1,300 

370 

3,000 

81% 






Width of flooded section, feet 


2,600 
1,850 

150 
830 

53% 


3,620 
1,720 

430 
3,020 

84% 


1,970 
1,620 

150 
1,000 
53% 


1,650 
1,150 


Width of channel section, feet 


"Land Section" on Levee Side- 
Width, feet :..:•. 


300 




2,250 


Per cent land area not cleared 


77% 




Average 






70% 

550 
2,970 






"Land Section" on "Bluff Side"— 

Width, feet 


600 
1,750 


1,470 
7,350 


200 
700 


200 




640 


Per cent land not cleared 




Per cent of total flow cross-section over timber and 
brush land 


1.2% 


6.0% 


7-4% 


1.5% 


6.6% 




Average 






4.5% 

















VALUES IN 1913 FLOOD. 

It has previously been stated that in all probability, the flood of 
1913 approximated the flow rates of 1904 very closely in the middle and 
lower river, with rates slightly less only as far upstream as Peoria. 

As confirmatory in a general way of the similarity of these two 
floods, we take occasion to refer to Figures 31 and 32 which show the 
rainfall contours of the storm of March 17 to April 1, 1904, and March 
20-27, 1913. It will be observed that in both storms the southeastern 



108 



REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 



part of the watershed received about 6" of rainfall. The total average 
rainfalls in these storms were as follows: 





Storm ! 
of March 17 ^ornr 
to April 1, 1 : -^arch 20 

1904. t0 27 » 1913 - 


Rainfall in inches above Peoria 


3.74 
4.68 


3.37 


Rainfall in inches below Peoria 


4.28 






Total rainfall on watershed 


4.24 


3.86 







It will be observed that so far as the total rainfall is concerned, 
these storms are quite similar. The 1904 storm however, covered a 
longer period. 

In view of the fact that certain computations of future flood heights 
in places fall very close to the 1913 flood profile, it will be useful to 
determine what values probably existed in the 1913 flood. This has been 
done in Table No. 37. This table shows the interesting fact that in the 
reach of the river where the stream is fully leveed, the values of C cor- 
respond fairly well with the values previously tabulated for bank-full 
conditions, indicating that when the bottom lands are leveed off entirely, 
the problem of flood heights may be approached quite confidently using 
values of C of about 100. 



TABLE NO. 37— VALUES IN FLOW FORMULA DURING APEX OF FLOOD OF 1913, AT 
VARIOUS PLACES ON ILLINOIS RIVER— ASSUMING MAXIMUM FLOW RATE TO 
HAVE BEEN EVERYWHERE THE SAME AS IN 1904. 

















Aver- 










Aver- 


Aver- 
age 


Aver- 


age 
"C" in 






Length 


Fall- 


age 


sec- 


age 


Chezy's 


Date. 


Reach. 


—feet. 


feet. 


flow — 


tion — 


mean 


form- 










C. F. S. 


square 
feet. 


depth- 
feet. 


ula 
V = C 

T/rT. 


Apr. 11 
Apr. 11 


Grafton to Kampsville Dam 


166, 200 
61, 800 


6.8 


124, 000 


71, 600 


11.1 


81 


Kampsville Dam to Pearl 


2.1 


115, 000 


32,300 


16.0 


*152 


Apr. 11 


Pearl to Valley City 


97, 300 


5.7 


114, 000 


34, 300 


15.6 


110 


Apr. 11 
Apr. 11 
Apr. 6 
Apr. 5 
Apr. 4 


Valley City to Meredosia 


50, 200 


.9 


112, 000 


80,400 


11.5 


85 


Meredosia to La Grange Dam 


34, 300 


1.1 


HI, 000 


96, 700 


15.0 


53 


La Grange Dam to Beardstown 


59, 200 


1.0 


108, 000 


107, 200 


15.3 


63 


Beardstown to Havana 


164, 200 
89,300 


2.5 
1.7 


95, 000 
85, 000 


201, 400 
160, 300 


11.8 
14.0 


35 


Havana to Copperas Dam 


32 


Apr. 3 


Copperas Dam to Pekin 


85, 000 
49, 600 


2.5 
2.5 


85, 000 
81, 000 


56,500 
69,800 


14.1 
12.7 


74 


Apr. 2 


Pekln to Peoria 


46 







* Data in this reach is not reliable on account of a break in the levee of the Hartwell District. 



FLOW BATES. 

We have hereinbefore given a table (No. 27) showing our conclusion 
as to the flow rates that prevailed at various places upon the Illinois 
!River during the flood of 1904. These data have been used in the 
computed flood profiles hereinafter given, interpolating between observa- 
tion points in the table in accordance with tributary drainage areas. 




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FUTURE FLOOD HEIGHTS AND THE EFFECT ON LEVEES. 109 

In the computation of profile for a flood 35 per cent larger than 
that of 1904, it has been assumed that the flood would be 35 per cent 
greater in rate to every place upon the river considered. 

FLOW VALUES USED IN COMPUTATIONS. 

In the computations of the profiles of future floods, we have in 
general been guided by the data hereinbefore presented, and further, 
upon close observation of the effects that have been produced heretofore 
under conditions as nearly similar as possible to the probable results in 
the estimate of particular profiles. 

It will be noted that much of the data points toward the conclusion 
that for Illinois Eiver "channel conditions," as distinguished from those 
conditions where bottom lands are overflowed, the value of C in the 
vJhezy formula approximates 100, or reduced to value of n in Kutter's 
formula under the general depth and slopes prevailing approximately, 
n = .026. 

Between Bearclstown and Kampsville, a distance of some sixty miles, 
the river is now very largely confined by levees, and the channel con- 
ditions are very largely similar to those of artificial channels, except in 
cases where the cross-sections are more or less broken up through the 
partial reclamation of the bottom lands. We have used values of C 
approximating 100 for the conditions of the re-occurrence of the 1904 
flood in the river valley leveed as at present, and have used higher values 
for C under the circumstances where the same flood might enter the 
Mississippi Eiver at a higher level as in 1844. These variations in the 
value of C in general range from 100 to 108, the value being varied in 
accordance with the mean depth and slope, as would be indicated by 
substituting these values in Ku tier's formula for C. 

Above Beardstown, nearly all the reaches are more or less affected 
for long distances by the flooding of bottom lands at all stages of water 
considered, and in computing flood heights under various conditions of 
flow, the reasoning has been as close as possible from known results 
under known circumstances. In most cases values were substituted in 
the flow formula, values being used that were indicated by the nearest 
comparable known circumstance. In some cases where the computed 
flood differed slightly from an observed flood of known volume, it was 
only necessary to correct the slope for difference in stage, resulting 
velocities and mean depth, to ascertain approximately the profile for the 
changed condition. 

To sum up therefore, theory has been used in the computation of 
these flood profiles only as it might be useful to reason intelligently 
from the nearest similar known condition to the condition upon which 
information was desired. 

FLOW VALUES OBSERVED ON OTHER RIVERS. 

For comparative purposes we would show herewith, Table No. 38, 

which is compiled from a treatise by Ganguillet and Kutter. We show 

•» only the experimental flow values in instances where the depths and 

* velocities were somewhat comparable to those upon the Illinois. It will 



110 



REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 



be observed that data on other streams conforms fairly well to the tabu- 
lated observations on the Illinois. 



TABLE NO. 38— TABLE SHOWING "C" AND "N" VALUES ON VARIOUS RIVERS FROM 
TABLE BY GANGUILLET AND KUTTER. 


Ganguillet and Kutter. 


Hydraulic 
radius. 


Velocity 

— feet per 

second. 


"C" value. 


"N" value 


Weser 


6.3 to 13.6 
9.46 
17.5 
10.9 to 15.8 
10.9 to 18.4 
11. 2 to 17. 9 
13.91 
13.94 
11 to 16 

11 to 17 

12 to 14 

13 to 16 
15.3 to 18.4 

17.42 
11 to 18 


3. 5 to 5. 1 
3.41 
8.0 
1. 9 — 2. 4 
3. 7 to 4. 8 
2.3 to 3.3 
5.84 
5.64 
3. to 3. 5 

3. to 5. 
2. 2 to 2. 5 

2. 7 to 3. 

4. to 5. 2 

2.05 

3. to 6. 2 


81 to 101 
97.1 
86.3 
89 — ■ 98 
92 — 108 

86 — 93 

78.9 
79.8 

89 — 98 
81 — 99 

87 tol02 
116 to 130 

84. 4 to 84. 5 
127.3 

90 to 107 


. 020 to • 025 
0228 


Tiber 


Elbe 


0275 


Saone 


027 030 


Seine at Paris 


023 026 


Seine atMeulan 


026 029 


Rhine at Neuburg 


0297 


Rhine at Pforz 


0294 


Rhine at Delta 


. 022 . 029 


Rhine at Delta 


. 024 . 030 


Danube 


. 0247 . 0287 


Bayou LaFourche 


. 0195 . 0225 


Bayou Plaquemine 


. 0292 — . 0296 


Great Nevka 


.0252 


Missouri 


. 023 — . 0254 






Average of all (excluding extremes) 


93 


.026 











FUTITEE FLOOD HEIGHTS. 

With the aid of the data hereinbefore described, we have estimated 
the height to which the flood waters will probably rise in the improved 
river valley under several conditions as set forth on Fig. 33. 

Fig. 33 shows the water profiles from Grafton to Peoria. Three 
observed flood lines are shown, the full lines A, B and C, — "A" repre- 
senting the flood of 1904, "B" representing the' flood of 1913, and "C" 
representing the flood of 1844. The first and last floods passed through 
a practically virgin valley with no levee districts. The flood of 1913 
passed through a valley almost completely leveed below Valley City. 

Fig. 33 further shows the computed profile of the 1904 flood, 
assuming this flood to be repeated under present conditions with levee 
districts now under construction completed, it being assumed that the 
flood enters the Mississippi Eiver at the same elevation as in 1904. It 
will be observed that in the lower eighty miles of river this water surface 
follows quite closely the actually observed flood in 1913. It is estimated 
that the maximum variation from the original 1904 flood would occur 
in the vicinity of Valley City, at which place the water would be about 
4 feet higher than in 1904. This difference remains substantially the 
same up as far as Beardstown, above which place the difference gradually 
becomes less, and it is estimated that at Peoria the retarding effect of the 
leveed districts downstream has been very nearly lost. The line marked 
"G" is the computed water profile of a 1904 flood, assuming it to pass 
through the Illinois Eiver valley when all the levee districts now pro- 
jected are completed. It will be observed that this would cause the 
water to rise a little over 5 feet higher at Meredosia than it did in 
1904; in fact, nearly 2 feet higher than any water has reached at this 
place. At Havana, curve "G" very nearly coincides with curve "D," 
but in the vicinity of Copperas Creek they again separate on account of 
the proposed levee districts in that vicinity. 









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33 






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Diagram Showing 

Maximum Flood Profiles 

Observed o° Computed 

Illinois River 

~ > — 

the Report of 
ALVORD & BuRDICK 
"S Chicago 

Legend 

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■■ ■ ■ . ■ ...„.. 

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dish-ids ore oesumed to be complef 



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FUTURE FLOOD HEIGHTS AND THE EFFECT OX LEVEES. Ill 

HIGH MISSISSIPPI LEVELS. 

It is pertinent to inquire what would happen should the flood of 
1904 be repeated with the bottom lands leveed as at present, and with 
the Mississippi at the height prevailing during the flood of 1844. This 
condition is illustrated on Fig. 33 by line "E." It will be observed that 
the computed line "E" lies above the flood of 1844 for the reach of river 
between Pearl and Havana. The curve "E" intersects the curve "D" 
which was the same flood entering the Mississippi at the low level as in 
1904 in the vicinity of Copperas Creek. This indicates that for large 
floods having about the flow rate of 1904, the effect of the Mississippi 
Eiver stage disappears below Peoria. 

For the purpose of illustrating a condition that may occur but 
probably rarely, we show on Fig. 33, the profile "F" which is the com- 
puted height to which the water would rise, assuming a flood about 35 
per cent greater than the flood of 1904 should pass through the valley 
under present conditions, with levees under construction completed, and 
enter the Mississippi Eiver at the flood level of 1844. 

It has been elsewhere estimated that a flood of this delivery might 
reasonably be expected to occur about once in fifty years. It would be 
natural to expect that the Mississippi would be relatively high at the 
time of occurrence of such a flood. In assuming that this large flood 
is delivered to the Mississippi at the flood height of 1844, which is the 
greatest flood of record on the Mississippi Eiver in over one hundred 
years, we have probably fixed flood heights, especially in the lower river, 
that are not likely to be exceeded once in fifty years. It is quite con- 
ceivable that even a flood of greater volume might occur at any time. 
The probability of its occurrence on the apex of a record Mississippi 
flood is not very great. 

ABOVE PEOEIA. 

The computations have been carried upstream only so far as Peoria 
for the reason that the developments above this place, including those in 
prospect, are not sufficiently great to have an important effect upon the 
flood profiles. The developments are very largely in prospect and not 
well matured. It is therefore thought to be inadvisable to attempt to 
reason out the small variations in river levels that might be occasioned 
by the proposed districts. 

GAGE HEIGHTS AND LEVEE DISTRICTS. 

Fig. 34 shows the observed and computed water profiles hereinabove 
described, and also the profiles of the levee tops on the Illinois Eiver so 
far as we have been able to determine them. This figure is prepard for 
the purpose of showing the adequacy or inadequacy of the existing levees 
to protect the land against future floods. 

Upon this drawing we have used the standard levee profiles as indi- 
cated by the dotted lines on Fig. 23. These profiles have been used as 
representing the levee top that it is endeavored to maintain in each 
district, the levee actually existing varying more or less from time to 
time as it may be reduced in height by weathering or as it may be 
increased in height to provide additional protection. An examination 



112 REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 

of Fig. 34 indicates that all the levees are of sufficient height to with- 
stand the flood heights of 1904 and 1913, -although at the time of 
occurrence at least one district was over-topped by the latter flood. 

The flood height of 1844 would inundate about half of the existing 
districts. 

The flood of 1904 might be repeated in the river valley as now 
improved without over-topping any of the levees. One district would 
however, be over-topped if the same flood occurred in the river valley 
with all the districts completed as now proposed. 

If the flood of 1904 should be repeated in the river valley as now 
existing and should enter the Mississippi at the height of the 1844 flood, 
about one-third of the levee districts would be over-topped — all of those 
districts lying below Meredosia. 

If a flood exceeding in amount the flood of 1904 by about 35 per 
cent, should be repeated in the present valley, and should enter the 
Mississippi at the flood height of 1844, then about two-thirds of the 
levee districts would probably be over-topped. A few districts near 
Valley City, Beardstown and Pekin would probably escape. 

It will be observed that the standard levee grades are what might 
be called only slightly deficient, the lowest lying not more than 3 feet 
below the maximum flood height on figure 34. 

PEOPEE LEVEE HEIGHTS. 

If these levees protected a great city where a failure of the levee 
would entail great loss of life, as at Dayton during the flood of 1913, 
and great damage to property, then there should be considered quite 
materially greater flow volumes than we have herein considered, and 
consequently, greater heights of water under the conditions of the leveed 
river valley present and future. Under such circumstances we would be 
warranted in considering contingencies more remote than have been 
considered herein. 

In the Illinois Eiver valley, levees protect farm land only. A failure 
is not likely to produce loss of life, for in flood, levees are very carefully 
watched, and if a levee is over-topped, the inhabitants are usually pre- 
pared to leave some time in advance of the event. The damage from 
flooding will be nominal except for the loss of a crop. The flooding of 
a district about once in fifty }^ears would not seem to involve sufficient 
damage to incur great expense to provide against flooding, but when the 
ability to readily sell the land is considered, it is probable that a liberal 
factor of safety in the height of the levees is justified. It will be readily 
seen that where at all possible, levees should extend sufficiently above the 
maximum water level to guard against the danger of over-topping 
through wave action and wash. 



PART VIII. 

DISCUSSION OF REMEDIES. 

The preceding chapters have shown that the agricultural levee dis- 
tricts have grown and encroached upon the river bottoms to such extent 
that they endanger themselves by restricting the flood water channel and 
increasing the flood heights to such amounts that many districts must be 
flooded when an unusual freshet- occurs. 

It has further been shown that the fish yield which rapidly increased 
up to 1908 has since that time rapidly declined, having been greatly 
aftected by the reduction in breeding and feeding grounds brought about 
through the construction of agricultural levee districts and the exclusion 
of the flood waters from these lands, on which flooded lands the fish 
breed and the early development of the young fish takes place. 

It remains to select the best remedy for these unfavorable conditions 
and tendencies, and in so doing, it will perhaps, be most useful briefly 
to point out the various remedies more or less applicable to the existing 
situation to show how each would affect the problem in hand, and if 
possible, to select from these remedies, the one best fitted to accomplish 
the maximum of good in the light of the circumstances as they exist at 
present and in the future so far as we are privileged to read the future. 

In the application of corrective measures, it will be kept in mind 
that the bottom land levee districts are producing at the present time 
agricultural products to the value of about three million dollars per 
annum, at the average prices of the past few years. There is good 
prospect that this yield will soon be increased to six or seven million 
dollars. The Illinois Eiver fishery in 1908 yielded $721,000 with fish 
at an average price of three cents per pound. At European wholesale 
prices, ten to fifteen cents per pound, this catch would have been w T orth 
from two and one-half to three and one-half million dollars. Nineteen 
hundred and eight was a banner fishing year. 

It would seem therefore, that from a financial standpoint, agricul- 
ture is the predominant interest, but that the fisheries have great future 
possibilities and should be given all possible consideration in the im- 
provement of the Illinois Eiver valley conditions. 

OUTLINE OF EEMEDIES. 

It is doubtful if anyone will seriouslv consider the abandonment of 
the investments in the valley and the reverting to conditions of nature 
which would be likely to correct the' present difficulties. For obvious 
reasons it is out of the question that we go back to the days of the buffalo 
and the Indian. 

Eeferring particularly to the flood situation, the remedies are of two 
classes, first, channel improvements, and second, storage. 

Channel improvements will include all means of providing a more 
adequate waterway for the passage of the floods. This may be accom- 
plished in a number of ways as follows : 

113 
— 8 R L 



114 REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 

(a) Through increasing the height of the agricultural levees, 
thereby permitting the flood waters to occupy a greater cross-section 
without flooding the farm lands. 

(b) Through lowering the bed of the channel, perhaps through 
cooperation with one of the several plans for a deep waterway. 

(c) Through greater widths between levees where same are built 
on both sides of the stream or elsewhere by setting the levees back at 
greater distances from- the river. This is hardly a practicable remedy 
where the levees have been built. It is easily applicable, however, to 
future levee construction. 

Storage if properly applied, will be efficacious in reducing the rate 
of flow at critical periods in a flood, and hence it would have a tendency 
to reduce maximum flood heights. Storage may be beneficially applied 
to the Illinois Eiver in two ways : 

(a) Through storage in the Illinois Eiver bottoms, 
and 

(b) Through storage in the valleys of the tributaries. 

It will be useful to this problem to determine approximately how far 
each of these remedies might be effective, and as the effects of some of 
them are quite complex, it will be well to examine them carefully. 
Storage is, perhaps, the most difficult to apply, and as it has some attrac- 
tive possibilities, we will consider it first. 

FLOOD ABATEMENT BY STOEAGE. 

The reduction of floods through storage, although it has only lately 
claimed public attention in this country, is not a new remedy either at 
home or abroad. Europe furnishes us numerous examples of large 
reservoirs built for the storage of flood waters ; and particularly in France, 
in Spain and in Germany, the practice has been followed more or less for 
two hundred years. Within the last twenty years, a great number of 
these reservoirs have been built in Germany and in Austria. 

In the United States six very large reservoirs have been built for 
the control of the Upper Mississippi Eiver. This work was started in 
1881, and completed in 1895. Perhaps the chief duty of these reservoirs 
is the improvement of low water conditions in the Upper Mississippi, 
but they have also a marked effect upon the flood heights above St. Paul. 

The Pittsburgh Flood Commission reporting under date of April, 
1912, recommended storage reservoirs as a correction for the flood con- 
ditions of the Ohio Eiver at Pittsburgh. 

Eeservoirs were considered for the flood protection of Columbus, 
Ohio, and while channel improvements were selected as the most effective 
remedy, it was demonstrated that reservoir sites in the valleys of the 
rivers adjacent to Columbus aggregating about 125,000 acre-feet, would 
have been effective in reducing a 140,000 second-feet flood to about 
78,000 second-feet, a reduction of 45 per cent. This was on the Lower 
Scioto Eiver having a drainage area of 1,570 square miles. 

Storage reservoirs have been adopted as the remedy for the con- 
ditions producing the Dayton disaster on the Miami Eiver. It is esti- 
mated that seven reservoirs having a capacity of 60,000,000,000 cubic 
feet, or 1,400,000 acre-feet, would have been effective in reducing the 
March, 1913, flood of 250,000 second-feet from a drainage area of 
2,500 square miles by the amount of 75 per cent. 



DISCUSSION OF REMEDIES. 



115 



TENDENCY OF LEVEES TO INCREASE FLOW RATES. 

Elsewhere in this report it has been pointed ont that the storage in 
the capacious bottom lands of the Illinois River tends to reduce the 
maximum rate at which the water is delivered to the Mississippi, and 
also to a certain extent, to reduce the flow at all places on the Illinois 
River. 



Diagram Showing 

Effect of River Valley Storage 

on _ 

Flood Rate at Kampsville Dam 



To Accompany the Report of 

AlJVORD & BURD1CK 

Engineer©. 

Alndicaf«9 flood ro+e of W* 
flood. . 

B Indicates estimated flood rate with 

9ame inflow or water but with valley 
storage reduced as at present. 

Indicates resulting rate? with same 

C Inflow but with the whole valley improved 
to the same extent that now prevail? 
between Kampsville and UaSrange. 




5 10 15 20 25 5MH5 20 2) 9 10 15 20 25 5 10 15 20 25 5 10 15 20 25 

JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL KAY 

Month and Day - 1904 



5 10 15 20 25 5 10 15 20 25 
JUNE JULY 



FIGURE 35. 



116 REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 

The construction of the agricultural levee districts has not only 
decreased the cross-section through which the flood waters might escape, 
but has also robbed the valley of a large part of its storage, thereby 
tending to increase the rate of run-off in the stream. 

Elsewhere in this report we have presented diagrams giving the 
area in the river valley that is overflowed at various heights of water. 
From these diagrams it is practicable to compute the volume of the 
storage in the river, valley when the same is flooded to any depth below 
the high water of 1844, the highest water of record. 

In order to determine approximately the effect of the levee opera- 
tions on the maximum flood flow rate, we have prepared Fig. 35 which 
is a hydrograph of the flow rates estimated to have existed at the Kamps- 
ville Dam during the flood of 1904. This liydrograph is based on the 
rating curve at Pearl a short distance above Kampsville, and although 
it is doubtless more or less in error, particularly in the latter part of 
the flood through the influence of the Mississippi Eiver, it is believed to 
represent the facts with sufficient accuracy to determine approximately 
the effect of the bottom lands' storage. 

Eef erring to Fig. 35 the line marked "A" is the hydrograph of flow 
of the 1904 flood. It will be observed that this flood reached a maximum 
of about 115,000 second-feet. 

Line "B" represents the estimated flow rates near the apex of the 
flood should the flood of 1904 be repeated, but with the valley storage 
reduced as at present, with the districts under construction completed. 
Under these conditions it is estimated that the run-off rate at Kamps- 
ville would be 121,000 second feet. 

Curve marked "C" is the estimated flow rate near the apex of the 
flood, assuming the inflow to the river valley to have been the same as in 
the flood of 1904, but with the whole valley improved to the same extent 
that now prevails between Kampsville and La Grange, that is, assuming 
that practically the entire river from Kampsville to La Salle is confined 
between levees. Under these circumstances, it is estimated that the 
inflow of the valley in 1904 would have resulted in a flood rate of 
126,000 second feet at Kampsville. 

These modified flow hydrographs have been estimated upon the 
assumption that the rate of flow passing Kampsville is the summation 
of the inflow rates to the river valley plus or minus the gain or depletion 
in the river valley storage as produced by rising or falling stages. 

Inasmuch as crest rates were principally of significance, it was not 
thought necessary that the computation should cover the entire flood. 
In estimating the amount of water going into and coming out of the 
valley storage, the river was taken section by section. This was neces- 
sary inasmuch as at some times during the flood, the storage was building 
in certain parts of the river, and depleting at certain other places above 
Kampsville. 

The total storage in the levee districts as now completed, or in 
process of construction above Kampsville between low water plane of 
1901 anol the high water plane of 1904, is estimated at 920,000 acre-feet. 

The total amount of storage above Kampsville within all levee dis- 
tricts, assuming that the river is leveed-in about to the same extent as 



Illinois River \ FLood Plain 
Below USuxe 




DISCUSSION OF REMEDIES. 



117 



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Storage in Million Acre Feet 



EXPLANATION 



A Storage in preset districts new 
completed or under construction 
3 Storage in probable f/tune districts. 

C Total available storage in alt levee 
districts - present and future. 



Diagram Showing 



Storage in Levee Districts 

IN THE 

Illinois River Valley 



lb Accompany the Report of 

AlVORD & BURDlCK 
Engineer Chicago. 

FIGURE 37. 



118 REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 

now prevails between Kampsville and LaGrange, is estimated at about 
1,920,000 acre-feet. 

It is estimated, therefore, that robbing the valley of 920,000 acre- 
feet would increase the flood rate of 1904 by only about 5 per cent, and 
that the ultimate possible levee operations would tend to increase the 
flood rate only slightly more than 10 per cent. 

The reason for the small effect of such a large alteration in the 
river bottom storage doubtless lies in the fact that the storage is largely 
used up before the flood reaches its apex, and as the flood remains nearly 
stationary for several days at the apex, it is only a fraction of the upper 
foot of the valley storage that has an important effect on the maximum 
flow rates of the Illinois Eiver. Therefore, although the construction of 
levee districts on the bottom lands has a restrictive effect on the passage 
of floods, as has been previously pointed out, the construction of these 
districts has a minor effect only upon the flow rates in depriving the 
stream of its valley storage. 

As is pointed out later, this does not prevent the river storage 
artificially handled from producing an important effect upon the maxi- 
mum flow of the stream; thus, if the levee districts may have the water 
excluded from them until the flood begins to approach its apex and can 
then be utilized to the full capacity of the districts to reduce the flood 
apex, large effects may be produced. 

EFFECT OF APEX STOEAGE. 

In order that it may be determined what effects are practicable by 
storing a portion of the flow near the apex of great floods in certain of 
the levee districts built or hereafter to be built in the valley of the 
Illinois Eiver, the estimates which follow have been made. 

THE FUTUEE EIVEE VALLEY. 

Out of about 398,000 acres below La Salle lying below the water 
surface of the great flood of 1844, it will be recalled that a total of about 
171,725 acres comprise lands now leveed or around which levees are 
now in process of construction, and about 49,250 acres comprise lands 
for the protection of which levees have been proposed or are in con- 
templation at this time. We estimate that there is an additional area 
of about 75,400 acres that will ultimately be leveed probably at no dis- 
tant time. This leaves about 100,000 acres which includes the river bed 
amounting to 28,490 acres at the low water plane of 1901, leaving 
slightly over 70,000 acres comprising the river banks outside of the levee 
systems, small areas where it is deemed probable no levees will be built 
on account of the narrow bottom lands, and particularly the rapidly 
rising 'bottoms where the river skirts the bluffs which bound the valley. 

Fig. 36 shows levee districts now built, the districts at present 
proposed, and the probable future districts. 

Fig. 37. shows diagrammatically the amount of acre-feet stored 
within the levee districts for various stages of water. Curves are 
shown for: 

"A" Storage in present levee districts. 

"B" Storage in future levee districts. 

"C" Total storage in all districts present and future. 



DISCUSSION OF REMEDIES. 



119 



The exhibit referred to shows the above facts for the valley above 
Peoria ; also for the valley above the La Grange dam and for the valley 
above the Kampsville dam. In each case La Salle is the upstream limit 
of the computed storage. 

In all cases the storage is expressed in acre-feet, an acre-foot being 
equivalent to one acre flooded to a depth of one foot. 



Diagram Showing 

Relation of 
Plow, Storage^ Gage Height^ 

At i£> Above Peoria || p 

To Accompany the Report of If |$ 
Alvord 3c Burdick c& ci 

Engineer* Chicago, COS Qfc 

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FIGURE 38. 



120 



REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 



Stage of river is expressed in gage height at Beardstown. This 
place is selected as being perhaps more significant over the long stretch 
of river than any other single gage upon the stream. 

At the high water plane of 1904, the total storage inside of all 
levee districts present and probable future, is estimated as follows: 
In districts now constructed or in process of construction. . .920,000 acre-feet 

In districts now proposed. 425,000 acre-feet 

In future districts 575,000 acre-feet 

EFFECT OF STORAGE ON FLOW. 

From the rating curve at Peoria, and the daily gage heights during 
the flood of 1904, a hydrograph of flow during the rlood was constructed, 
and from this hydrograph there was computed the amount of storage 
that would have been required to reduce the flow rates near the apex 
of the flood to various lesser flow rates. Table No. 39 shows this com- 
putation, and it also shows a similar computation for a flood about 35 
per cent greater than the flood of 1904, assuming the greater flood to 
have exceeded the 1904 flood by the same percentage on every day during 
the flood. 



TABLE NO. 39— STORAGE REQUIRED TO REDUCE FLOOD RATE ON ILLINOIS 

RIVER AT PEORIA. 

1904 flood (80,000 second-feet.) 



Average flow rate prevailing for— 


Reduced 
flood rate 
for corre- 
sponding 
period— 
second-feet. 


Difference 
or second- 
feet to go 

into 
storage. 


Storage 


Time— days. 


Rate— 
second-feet. 


required— 
acre-feet. 


7.5 


75,700 
70, 800 
65, 100 
60, 700 


70, 000 
60,000 
50,000 
40, 000 


5,700 
10, 800 
15, 100 ' 
20,700 


85,000 

283,000 

600,000 

1, 070, 000 


14.0 


20. 


26.0 







A greater flood (110,000 second-feet.) 



6.0. 
11.0. 
16.0. 
20.0. 
24.5. 



105,400 


100,000 


5,400 


99, 800 


90,000 


9,800 


95, 500 


80, 000 


15,500 


91, 000 


70, 000 


21, 000 


86, 000 


60,000 


26,000 



64,000 

214,000 

480,000 

840,000 

1, 260, 000 



Note.— Greater flood assumed to be about 35 per cent greater than the flood of 1904, upon each day 
of the flood. 

The effect of apex storage, as above computed, is shown diagram- 
matically upon Fig. 38. It is assumed that the storage would be utilized 
at the proper moment and in the exact proper amount to produce the 
maximum effect with the acre-feet in storage capacity available. 

At the right of the diagram will be found the gage heights cor- 
responding to the flows appearing on the left side of the diagram. Two 
scales of gage height are shown: the first corresponding to the virgin 
river, that is, as it existed prior to 1904; and second, our estimate of 
the gage heights that would usually prevail under the flows as shown 
at the left of the diagram in the river valley when all the bottom lands 
are reclaimed. 



DISCUSSION OF REMEDIES. 



121 



A comparison of these two gage height scales indicates that below 
IT feet on the gage, the construction of levee districts has small effect 
upon the stage of water. It is only at the stages which produce con- 
siderable bottom land flooding and induce substantial flows on the bottom 
lands that the effect of the levees begins to be felt. 



Diagram Showing 

Relation of 
Flow, Storage ^6aoe Height 

At -& Above La Orange 

To Accompany the Reporf of 

Alvord & Burdick 

Engineers Chicago. 



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FIGURE 39. 



122 REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 

The estimate of future gage height under a completely leveed 
river is based upon a computation of the gage height of a great flood 
(about 35 per cent greater than the flood of 1904) entering the Missis- 
sippi Eiver at the level of the flood of 1844. It has been assumed that 
the new rating curve will coincide with the old rating curve at a bank- 
full stage, and it is further assumed that the new rating curve would 
vary in approximately a uniform manner for stages between these 
extremes. In platting the rating curves for the unleveed river, it was 
observed that above the bank-full stage the flow increases more rapidly 
than the gage height on account of the water traveling by way of the 
wide bottoms. With a completely leveed river .it would be expected that 
the flows for the higher gage readings might be approximated by pro- 
jecting the gage curve for stages less than bank-full. It was observed 
that the curve computed in the manner above explained, corresponds 
fairly well to the rating curve thus projected. 

Fig. 39 illustrates the effect of the various amounts of storage above 
La Grange. This diagram has been computed in the manner previously 
explained for Peoria. 

PROPER LEVEE HEIGHTS WITHOUT STORAGE. 

Referring to Fig. 33 which is a resume of the maximum flood flow 
profiles computed and observed, the profile marked "H" is the estimated 
surface of a flood about 35 per cent greater than the flood of 1904 
assumed to enter the Mississippi River at the datum elevation of the 
flood of 1844, and to traverse a river valley completely leveed between 
La Salle and Grafton. It has been previously concluded that this repre- 
sents a condition which might be expected to occur about once in fifty 
years upon the average. It would seem reasonable to increase the height 
of all levees where necessary, to pass a flood of this magnitude without 
danger to the levee system. In our opinion it would be good policy to 
build all levees up to a height equivalent to 3 feet above the estimated 
water plane "H," corresponding to the line "L" on Fig. 34. 

LEVEE HEIGHTS WITH APEX STORAGE. 

The levee districts now built are not provided with facilities for 
using them as flood storage reservoirs in emergencies, and many of them 
are so improved that flooding would be disastrous. It will be less diffi- 
cult to flood the districts to be constructed hereafter, for the bottom 
lands are less in width and it will be therefore, easier to farm them 
from dwellings built on ground above the high water plane. 

For purposes of estimate we would assume that all districts con- 
structed hereafter will be so built as to be usable for flood storage pur- 
poses, and will endeavor to ascertain the effect upon the maximum flood 
heights of the stream. Referring to Fig. 33 it will be observed that at 
Kampsville, very little can be accomplished in a great flood through the 
storage of flood waters, for the fall from Kampsville to Grafton is only 
about 2 feet under the conditions of 1844. If the whole flood were 
stored above Kampsville, the flood could therefore not be reduced more 
than 2 feet. It is probably impracticable to accomplish anything mate- 
rial by storage at this place. 



DISCUSSION OF REMEDIES. 123 

At Beardstown much of the effect of the Mississippi River has 
disappeared. The Illinois Eiver predominates in the relation between 
flow and gage-height. Referring to Fig. 39 shoAving the relation be- 
tween flow and storage at La Grange immediately below Beardstown, 
and Fig. 37 showing the acre-feet in storage above the La Grange dam — 
it is indicated that in a great flood there would be about 850,000 acre- 
feet of storage above La Grange in future levee districts (Curve "B") 
which, if used to the best advantage, would reduce a flood of 143,000 
second-feet to 108,000 second-feet. Without storage, the gage height 
would be about 28 feet, and with the storage stated, about 24.6 feet, 
a difference of about 3.4 feet at Beardstown. 

A similar comparison at Peoria based on Fig. 38 and the diagram 
of storage above Peoria- — Fig. 37 indicates that the available storage 
above Peoria would be instrumental in reducing the height of the great 
flood about 2% feet, if used at the proper time and the water diverted to 
storage at proper rates to produce the maximum effect. 

The line "K." Fig. 34 is drawn to roughly represent the top of the 
levees that would be considered reasonably safe if the storage in all 
future leveed districts could be utilized as apex storage for flood waters 
when needed. This curve coincides with curve "L" at Kampsville, 
departs uniformly from curve "L" to a maximum departure of 3.4 feet 
at Beardstown, and gradually approaches curve "If* to a departure of 
2.5 feet at Peoria, retaining the same relation above Peoria. An approxi- 
mate estimate, therefore, indicates that the storage stated would have the 
effect of reducing the practicable levee heights in amount, varying from 
nothing at Kampsville to 3.4 feet at Beardstown, and 2.5 feet -at Peoria, 
With this information in hand, it would be practicable to estimate the 
future expenditures that will be required to build the future levee dis- 
tricts up to these profiles, and also to increase the height of the existing 
districts so as to make them safe from overflow on the two assumptions 
above. 

BASIS OF COMPARISON. 

Two procedures confront us : 

"First — To build the levees to such, height that future floods may be 
safely passed under the conditions when all the bottom lands are re- 
claimed, all districts being used for agriculture and kept dry by pumping, 
and 

"Second — The construction of the levees only to such height as will 
be sufficient to pass the floods when using future levee districts to store 
flood water in a great flood." 

It will be sufficient for our present purpose in making a financial 
comparison of these projects, to consider only the total moneys that must 
be hereafter expended without regard to who furnishes the money; to 
estimate the total revenues that may be produced by these bottoms — land 
and water— and to estimate comparative annual expenditures; all with- 
out regard to where the money comes from or who is benefited by the 
works built. 

A comparison upon the above basis is enlightening for the reason 
that the State is interested in seeing improvements accomplished that 
will produce the maximum of good — in this case, the maximum of food 
for a given expenditure, and a comparative annual operating cost. 



124 REPORT OST ILLINOIS RIVER. 

NEW EXPENDITURES WITH HIGH LEVEES AND NO 

STORAGE. 

If the levees, present and future, are built up to the profile "L," 
(Eig. 34) we estimate that the following expenditures will be involved: 
Embankments to increase existing levees at 13c per 

cubic yard $2,240,000 

Stripping old levees at $1,500 per mile 292,000 

$2,532,000 

Levees immediately proposed at 12c per cubic yard $1,750,000 

Interior improvements including pumping plants and 
tile drainage at $7.50 per acre 369,500 

2,119,500 

Distant future levees at 12c per cubic yard $2,937,000 

Interior improvements, pumping plants and tile drainage 

at $7.50 per acre 565,800 

3,502,800 

Total $8,154,300 

If future levee districts are utilized for storage so that all levees 
may be constructed with tops corresponding to profile "K," Fig. 34, 
and assuming that future levee districts will be used for flood storage 
and fish culture only, pumping plants and tile drainage being omitted, 
but the levees being equipped with flood gates by which flood water can 
be discharged into each district at a rate of about 5,000 cubic feet per 
second, the estimated cost would be as follows : 

Old levees raised at 13c per cubic yard $1,300,000 

Stripping at $1,500 per mile 292,000 

$1,592,000 

Levees now proposed at 12c per cubic yard $1,291,000 

Flood gates 100,000 

1,391,000 

Distant future levees at 12c per cubic yard $2,256,000 

Flood gates 150,000 

2,406,000 

Total $5,389,000 

COMPAEATIVE INCOME AND EXPENSE. 

For purposes of comparison, we will assume that the operating cost 
of the agricultural levee districts is substantially the same as would be 
the cost of levee districts for the storage of flood waters and fish, culture. 
We would further assume that 90 per cent of the land enclosed in agri- 
cultural levee districts produces $27.00 per acre per annum, which is 
the estimated acre yield of the past few years. 

We would further assume that if the river is completely leveed, and 
the bottoms used for agriculture, the commercial fishery of the Illinois 
River will have disappeared. This assumption will, be favorable to 
storage. We would further assume that the total yield of fish from the 
Illinois River will be one hundred pounds of fish per annum per acre of 
water surface prevailing for about half the year. This seems to have 
been approximately the yield prevailing in the past. (See Fig. 26.) At 
three cents per pound, the present American price, this would be $3.00 
per acre of total water surface. At fifteen cents per pound, a price often 
received in Europe at the present time, this would amount to $15.00 per 



DISCUSSION OF REMEDIES. 



125 



acre. These yields per acre cannot be compared with the yield per acre 
for agricultural purposes ; for the fish yield as thus computed, applies to 
the river surface as well as the land that may be flooded, whereas the 
acre yield from agriculture applies only to land. 

For purposes of general comparison, we have prepared Table No. 40 
which summarizes the additional investments hereinbefore estimated, 
and estimates the return from agriculture and fisheries. The return 
from fishes has been estimated upon the assumption that the flood 
storage districts will retain water during the major part of the spring 
and summer season, as may be most desirable to promote the fishery, 
the reservoirs being emptied in the late fall or winter in order that they 
may be available for flood storage in the following spring. The acreage 
for computing total yield is based upon the total area of the leveed 
district. 



TABLE NO. 40— COMPARATIVE COSTS AND BENEFITS OF 
FLOOD PROTECTION. 


TWO PLANS FOR 




High 

levees as per 

profile 


Lower 

levees as per 

profile 

"K». 




No storage. 


Storage. 


Net investment. 


$8, 254, 300 


$5, 389, 000 






Annual Benefits, Past Prices— 

From agriculture 1 


$7, 200, 000 


$4, 150, 000 


From fisheries a 


567, 000 








Less interest on new investment at 6 per cent 


$7, 200, 000 
490, 000 


$4, 717, 000 
323, 000 




Net comparative benefit 


$6, 700, 000 


$4, 394, 000 




Annual Benefits at German Prices for Fish— 

From agriculture 


$7, 200, 000 


$4, 150, 000 
2, 830, 000 


From fisheries 3 , 








Less interest on new investment at 6 per cent 


$7, 200, 000 
• 490, 000 


$6, 657, 000 
323,000 




Net comparative benefit 


$6, 710, 000 


$6,334,000 





1 Return from agriculture at $27 per acre on 90 per cent of land in districts. 

2 At 3 cents per pound. 

3 At 15 cents per pound. 

It has been assumed that all expenses incident to the administration 
of agricultural levee districts and the flood storage districts will be the 
same, the only difference in the outgo being differences in the rental 
values of the moneys that would be necessarily invested. An allow- 
ance has been made for interest on the investment at 6 per cent. 

Comparisons have been made upon two bases, namely, with fish at 
the present price of three cents per pound, and with fish at prices which 
may be reached in the future, it being assumed that the future may 
produce prices equivalent to the present German prices — about 15 cents 
per pound. 

An examination of Table No. 40 would appear to indicate that with 
fish at the present price, the use of all the bottom lands for agriculture 
will return to the community over two million dollars more per year 
than could be secured by constructing lower levees and using them for 



126 REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 

fish culture and flood storage, the existing levees being used for agri- 
culture as at present. If, however, the comparison should be made upon 
the basis of German fish prices, the comparative returns would be much 
more nearly equal. The estimate, however, still indicates that a 3 r early 
return of nearly $400,000 more could be secured by bottom land 
agriculture.* 

(Eegardless as to whether the beds of lakes in the Illinois valley 
are of most value for agricultural purposes for private individuals or for 
flood storage and fish breeding for the public at large, the fact remains 
that these public waters and submerged lands cannot be seized by private 
parties for agricultural purposes and, consequently, the foregoing 
economic analyses must be modified so as to exclude such public sub- 
merged lands. 

Rivers and Lakes Commission of Illinois.) 

OTHEE CONSIDEEATIONS. 

It is true that if the flood waters are excluded from the bottom 
lands, the farmers must ultimately resort to fertilizers to take the place 
of the benefit arising from the natural flood. Experience upon the 
uplands of Illinois, land that was very rich when first broken, indicates 
that within fifty or sixty years serious deterioration will have taken 
place. It is estimated that an annual flood would be worth about one 
dollar per acre per year over a long period of years, to keep the bottom 
land up to standard indefinitely. It is believed that this sum is not suffi- 
ciently large to make it an object to flood the bottom lands for the 
purpose of enriching them, even if done only in occasional years. It 
is believed that the damage to structures other than land would make 
this practice undesirable. 

It would be possible to equip all levee districts with pumping 
plants, agricultural drainage, as well as flood gates, using a part of the 
districts each year to store flood waters and promote fishing. They will 
be necessary for flood storage only in exceptional years, but if they are 
to promote the fisheries, there must be a large acreage flooded each year. 
No gain can come from this procedure except to benefit the land for 
agricultural purposes or to enrich the waters for the propagation of fish. 
It is believed that the gain from this procedure would not be sufficient to 
overcome the damages involved in flooding the farm lands, for the benefit 
to the farm lands would probably not exceed one dollar per acre per 
annum, and it is questionable how much the alternate farming and 
fishing would benefit the yield of fish. It seems probable that a large 
amount of vegetation might be grown in the flood storage reservoirs in 
the latter part of the summer and early fall — perhaps sufficient to answer 
all the purposes of enriching the fish waters. 

EFFECT OF WATEEWAY PEOJECTS. 

In order to determine approximately the effect upon flood water 
heights that might be occasioned by various projects heretofore proposed 
for improvement of navigation, we have given some consideration to 
three projects that have received considerable attention, namely, the 
Fourteen Foot Waterway, carefully investigated by the IT. S. Board of 



DISCUSSION OF REMEDIES. 127 

Engineers, The Deep Waterway, as proposed by the Illinois Internal 
Improvement Commission, and the more recent Eight Foot Waterway 
Link connecting the drainage canal with the Illinois Eiver at the head 
•of navigation. 

Xone of these projects will so affect the flood water cross-sections 
as to be of material aid, or to prevent the wisdom of increasing the height 
■of the agricultural levees. 

The eight foot project requires only a small amount of dredging in 
the lower river, and will not affect the flood water conditions except the 
small effect produced by the removal of the dams which is understood 
to be a part of the project. This effect is very small — probably not more 
than two or three inches during extreme flood. 

It is roughly estimated that the fourteen foot waterway project will 
affect extreme flood heights in amounts varying in different parts of the 
river, but not exceeding three inches. This does not consider the affect 
of the removal of the dams which would add slightly to the benefit. 

The project of the Internal Improvement Commission, although in 
the published bulletin it is not definitely stated as regards the lower 
river, would appear to have the effect of reducing flood stages a little 
more than a foot at Peoria and Beardstown. 

The data at hand will not permit of more accurate computations 
than these. 

INCKEASED WIDTH BETWEEN LEVEES. 

There are certain places upon the river where the bottom lands on 
both sides of the river are enclosed within levees, although for the most 
part, the river skirts the bluff, leaving bottom lands only on one side. 

The expenditures in the levees already built are too large to warrant 
serious consideration of moving the levees to positions further back 
from the river, thereby increasing the flood water cross-section. To do 
this would involve great expense for new levees, and would also generally 
require higher levees, for existing levees have generally been constructed 
upon the highest ground which is near the river bank, the ground 
sloping off inland. 

In building future levees, however, careful consideration should be 
given to the location of the levees and the treatment of the flood plain 
between the levee faces with the object of maintaining a waterway 
adequate for the passage of great floods. 

Under date of September 16, 1910, Mr. J. W. Woermann, C.E., 
who was assistant engineer in charge of the surveys in the report of the 
U. S. Engineer Board on a Fourteen Foot Waterway, reported to land- 
owners relative to certain levee districts on opposite sides of the river 
located a short distance below Pekin. 

In reply to the question as to how much space it is necessary to 
leave between two levee districts in question, Mr. Woermann among 
other things stated : 

"The actual discharge of the Illinois River in this reach during the flood 
of 1904, according to the discharge measurements taken under my direction, 
was about 95,000 cubic feet per second. In other words, at Sturgeon Island 
it appears that approximately 17,000 cubic feet per second passed through 
the timber or beyond the tops of the banks. For a similar flood this is the 
amount that should be provided for outside of the channel proper. As the 
average velocity outside of the channel would probably not exceed 5.0 feet 



128 REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 

per second, this would require a supplemental cross-section of 3,400 square 
feet, and as the depth of the water on top of the hanks was about 10 feet at 
this point, this would mean a supplemental width of 340 feet, provided this 
width was clear. This is the greatest additional width that is required in 
any part of this reach. At this particular point, most of this additional 
width can be secured by clearing Sturgeon Island. In other words, the 
cleared width at this point should be not less than 940 feet. 

The next, most restricted section is below the head of Scott's Lake, 
marked Station 756 on the government map; during the flood of 1904, the 
discharging capacity of the river proper was about 87,600 cubic feet per 
second, leaving about 8,000 cubic feet per second to be carried outside of the 
banks. For a velocity of 5.0 feet per second, this would require a supple- 
mental area of 1,600 square feet. As the depth over the banks was about 8 
feet at this point, the supplemental width beyond the banks should amount 
to not less than 200 feet. In other words, the cleared width at this point 
should be not less than 820 feet. 

To allow for a factor of safety and for the uncertainty connected with 
the application of any formula to a large river, I would recommend that 
800 feet be taken as the minimum width to be kept clear. At Coon Hollow 
Island and the other islands below it, the clearing of the islands will give 
sufficient width. This is an important matter and must not be neglected. 
If the islands and banks are allowed to become thickly covered with timber 
and brush, their discharging capacity may be reduced to almost nothing and 
the flood line may be raised as much as three or four feet. The cost of the 
clearing should be borne equally by the two districts. 

In regard to the location of levees, it is my opinion that the Spring 
Lake district on the whole has been quite liberal. At Coon Hollow Island 
the center line of their levee is only about 210 feet from the low water shore 
line of 1901, but in the other sections this distance is considerably larger,, 
and in some places much greater than necessary, as shown in the accom- 
panying table. 

In locating your levee I would recommend that the center line be placed 
about 250 feet from the low water line of 1901, passing between the river 
and the several adjoining lakes, viz., Stillman Lake No. 1, Scott's Lake, 
Murray Lake and Kelcey Lake, making the minimum distance between 
center lines of levees about 1,200 feet. A fringe of timber and brush 100 
feet wide is sufficient protection from wave-wash and ice. 

In your supplemental letter of September 13 you state that the Spring 
Lake levee is 4 feet above high water mark. This is not definite as you da 
not state which high water. According to the information furnished me by 
their attorney, the top of their levee was 5 feet above the high water of 1902,. 
or 3 feet above the high water of 1904, or 1.0 to 1.5 feet below the high water 
of 1844. I would recommend that you build your levee at least 1 foot above- 
the high water of 1844. The combination of circumstances which produced 
that flood may recur at any time. Furthermore, it gives your district a, 
valuable asset to have its levee a little higher than the one on the opposite 
side. If, as the result of an ice gorge or failure to keep down the timber and 
brush, the river should rise to an unexpected height, the overtopping of the 
levee on the opposite side would probably save your own." 

In our opinion no levees should be permitted at a less distance 
apart, center to center, than the 1,200 feet recommended by Mr. Woer- 
mann. It is probable that in most places widths of 2,000 feet can rea- 
sonably be secured without sacrifice, all costs considered. This recom- 
mendation will apply as far south as the mouth of the Sangamon, with 
proper allowances for the increased drainage coming in below Pekin. 
This increased drainage is comparatively small. Below the Sangamon, 
the land is nearly all leveed, and there will be comparatively little* 
occasion to pass upon this question. 

It is probable that the same allowance should be made between 
Peoria and La Salle, for although the drainage becomes smaller at the 
north, the floods at La Salle are nearly as great as those at Peoria. 



DISCUSSION OF REMEDIES. 129 

Where the floods must pass between two lines of levees, we would 
emphasize the matter spoken of by Mr. Woermann, namely, the necessity 
for so removing underbrush and trees that the full effect of the cross- 
section is secured after providing a minimum of brush for protection of 
the banks against wave wash. It is a question as to how such bottoms 
shall be kept cleared on account of the rapid growth of underbrush. No 
donbt much can be accomplished by clearing and pasturing. It is a 
problem that must be faced where the river is completely enclosed, for it 
will be impracticable to build the levees high enough to force the water 
through great lengths of bottoms covered thickly with brush. 

STORAGE IN THE TRIBUTARIES. 

It has been impossible to make a determinative study showing the 
effect of storing flood waters in the valleys of the tributaries, for the 
purpose of reducing the flood rates upon the Illinois River. The means 
at our disposal do not permit of original surveys, and there is no data 
available from which the practicabilities of the matter may be definitely 
determined. 

Reservoirs upon the lower ends of the tributaries if properly dis- 
tributed, will have substantially the same effect as equal volumes in the 
valley of the Illinois. 

If reservoir sites on the tributaries could be secured of such character 
that the average depth of the stored water materially exceeds the average 
depths in the valley of the Illinois, then possibly there might be some 
advantage in utilizing such tributary storage. There would necessarily 
be sufficient advantage in reducing the area flooded to more than pay 
the cost of the dams necessary to create such reservoirs. 

Although it is possible that investigation might show some favorable 
reservoir sites, it must be remembered that at equal depths equal areas 
will be overflowed either on Illinois bottom lands or the bottom lands 
of the tributaries, and unless it can be shown that a much greater 
average depth can be secured on the tributaries, or land flooded having 
much less value, and both of the propositions seem doubtful, there would 
seem to be no net gain to the State to protect certain bottom lands of 
the Illinois at the expense of flooded bottom lands elsewhere. 

FLOOD PROTECTION" CONCLUSION. 

In the light of the figures upon the preceding pages, there would 
seem to us no doubt that the bottom lands will be most economically 
protected against flood by increasing the heights of the levees sub- 
stantially to the profile marked "L" on Figure 34. 

It is our conclusion, in the light of all the data which we could find, 
that it is impracticable to effectively use bottom land storage reservoirs 
for the mitigation of floods, for the reason that more effective results 
can be secured at less cost through increasing the heights of levees. 
This takes into account all possible gain that might accrue to the 
fisheries through handling the bottom land reservoirs in such manner 
that they will assist in fish propagation. 

— 9 R L 



130 REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 

BEST USE OF REMAINING LAKES AND LANDS. 

The original bottom land lakes aggregated 49,340 acres at low 
water. Levee operations have up to the present time reduced this lake 
area to about 31,600 acres. There are about 22 meandered lakes, and 



Suggestion for Compromise Levees 

NEAR 

Navigable Lakes 

To Accompany 4-he, Reporf c^ 
Alvord 8c Burdick 

Engineer* ^ 



LCVEC 




= 3 

*0D 



.fit... 



Indicorfes required Levee 

* suggested compromise. 



FIGURE 40. 



DISCUSSION OF REMEDIES. 131 

possibly more, to which the State claims title. Table 41 is a list of the 
meandered lakes claimed by the Eivers and Lakes Commission to be 
public waters. It is stated that this list is not complete. We have added 
opposite the name of each lake its area by planimeter measurements from 
the U. S. Engineer's Survey Map. 

Excluding Peoria Lake, which we have included in the area of the 
river as elsewhere tabulated herein, these lakes aggregate 7,002 acres, 
or a little less than one-quarter of the lakes remaining unleveed. 

TABLE NO. 41— PARTIAL LIST OF LAKES ADJACENT TO ILLINOIS RIVER TO WHICH 
THE STATE CLAIMS TITLE. 

Area in 

County. acres. 
Slough four miles above 

, Liverpool.- Mason 

Clear Lake \ Masnn si n 

Mud Lake/ Mason 810 

Spring Lake Tazewell 1,390 

Saiwell Tazewell 42 

Pekin Lake . Tazewell 244 

Gar Lake (near Sparland). Tazewell 59 

Huse Slough near Peru ... La Salle 59 

Pond opposite Peru La Salle 21 

Thompson Lake Fulton 1, 723 

Total 7, 002 



County. 

Slough near Otter Creek Jersey 

Macoupin Slough Greene 

Slough near Van Geson Is- 
land Greene 

Slough near Valley City Pike 


Area in 
acres. 
450 
24 

17 
30 


Meredosia Lake Scott-Cass. . 


. . 1, 182 


Hickory Slough (near 

mouth of Sangamon R.). Mason , 

Lake Depue Bureau 

Matanzas Bay Mason 

Dog Fish Lake \ Mason. 

Quiver Lake. . / 

Liverpool Lake Mason 


25 

.*. """346 
290 
290 



INCLOSURE OF MEANDERED LAKES. 

It has been the practice, in the construction of the levee districts, 
to build the levees close to the river, thus cutting off the inland lakes 
from the stream. In certain places the title to the land surrounding the 
lakes may be held by private individuals who desire to dyke the same, 
and if the State can establish its title to the lake bed, the dyking of 
lands adjacent to the large lakes will be very expensive, if completely 
dyked, the dykes being very long, and occupying the low ground. Fur- 
thermore, the lakes thus enclosed will be of little value for the propaga- 
tion of fish, if the levees are built close to the shore, for the high water 
levels in the spring and the higher water levels prevailing throughout the 
season hereafter through the increased drainage canal flows will rise 
upon the sides of the levees, thus destroying all the shallow water which 
is so advantageous to the breeding and rearing of fish. 

The suggestion has been made in circumstances such as these, to 
compromise with the land owners by trading a portion of the lake bed 
for a portion of the privately held land, and to build the levees sub- 
stantially as shown by line B, Figure 40; thus accomplishing for the 
land owner a levee of reduced cost, with reduced, cost of maintenance, 
and accomplishing for the public a lake most practicable for the breeding 
and taking of fish. It would seem that this suggestion is worthy of very 
serious consideration in cases where applicable. 

In the storage computations which we have previously made, we 
have assumed that ultimately practically all the bottom land will be 
under levee. This may require a long time for accomplishment, and it 
is quite possible that there are some areas lying so low, or so cut up by 
tributary streams, as to be uneconomical of reclamation. 

It will be further noted that certain tracts are so separated by 
meandered lakes as to make the long line of levees required so expensive 
that the economy of reclamation may be doubtful. The time at our 



132 REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 

disposal has obviously not permitted an examination of the practicability 
of dyking these individual tracts. It is strongly recommended that, so 
far as possible, these unused lands and lakes be used for the betterment 
of the aquatic life of the river. As to how they can best be used will 
probably be a subject of further study by the Department of Natural 
History. 

CLEAN BANKS. 

Competent observers state that under present conditions a great 
amount of the fish spawn is being destroyed through the growth of fungi, 
occasioned by decaying land vegetation, such as trees and brush 
that have been permanently inundated and killed through the increased 
water stages since 1910. We have heretofore pointed out the great 
desirability of clearing the bottoms, except for a narrow wave break in 
those sections of the river where both sides of the stream are leveed, in 
order that a clear waterway for the flood may be provided. The keeping 
of these lands cleared will not only serve to provide a practicable channel 
for flood waters but will best serve the needs of the fishes. With the 
levees placed well back from the river banks, as recommended in districts 
to be built hereafter, the grounds between the levees and the river bank, 
properly cleared, will be of great benefit to the aquatic life of the stream. 

GAME FISHING AND HUNTING. 

The waters of the Illinois Eiver have been the rendezvous of the 
sportsman — both the hunter and the fisherman — for many years. It is 
too much to expect that the entire river bottoms will be retained in 
the original state of nature in order to furnish recreation grounds for 
those capable of benefiting by them. In general, the fate of these bottoms 
will doubtless be ultimately decided by financial considerations, which, as 
we have shown, point towards agriculture as the most profitable use of the 
bottoms, commercially. 

It is hoped that future studies in intensive fish culture may find a 
way to keep the stream stocked, through a better utilization hereafter of 
the breeding and feeding grounds that remain. 

Large expenditures are being made by cities, and the U. S. Govern- 
ment is not only setting aside unused lands wherever possible for play- 
grounds for the people, but is spending considerable sums annually for 
their maintenance. It is not beyond reason that the State of Illinois 
should obtain such bottom lands by purchase as may be necessary to aug- 
ment the most favorable meandered lake holdings, for the double purpose 
of studying, and, if possible, increasing the aquatic life of the stream, 
and furnishing state parks or preserves, in which, under proper re- 
strictions, hunting and game fishing may be pursued, and which will 
serve as nurseries for augmenting the commercial fishery of the stream 
generally. 

COOPEEATION WITH THE SANITAEY DISTEICT. 

It is generally known that damage suits, aggregating large sums, 
have been filed against the Sanitary District of Chicago for damage to 
Illinois bottom lands through the increased water delivered to the river 



DISCUSSION OF REMEDIES. 



133 



by the Chicago Drainage Canal. The suggestion has been made for the 
State and the Sanitary District to combine in the purchase of the lands 
damaged, or certain of them as might be most useful to the State for the 
purposes heretofore mentioned. 




FIGURE 41. 

River Banks at Recent Moderate Water Stages, Showing 

Land Vegetation. 



the Dead and Decayed 



The following figures are taken from the report of Mr. Lyman E. 
Cooley, C. E., entitled "The Illinois Elver. Physical Eelations and the 
removal of the Navigation Dams," August, 1914. Mr. Cooley places the 
expenditures of the Sanitary District to date on the Illinois and Des 
Plaines Eivers in payment of land damages, the expenditures of the Engi- 
neering Department in preparation for defense of suits, and the expendi- 
tures of the legal department, at between $500,000 and $600,000 up to 
December 31, 1912. 



TABLE NO. 42— CLAIMS AGAINST SANITARY DISTRICT ON ACCOUNT OF DAMAGES 
FROM OVERFLOW ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1912. 





Permanent damage. 


Temporary damage. 


Total. 




Claims. 


Amount. 


Claims. 


Amount. 


Claims. 


Amount. 


Utica to Havana 


122 
2 
5 


$2,474,400 
33,330 
469, 000 


46 
108 

1 


$ 434,900 

1,118,350 

10, 000 


168 

110 

6 


$2, 909, 300 


Havana to La Grange 


1,151,610 


La Grange to Mouth 


479, 000 






Totals 


129 


$2, 976, 730 


155 


$1, 563, 250 


284 


U, 539, 980 







The total claims pending against the district for damage on account 
of overflowed land up to December 31, 1912, upon the Illinois Eiver 
below Utica, amount to a total of $4,539,980. The principal details of 
these claims are shown upon Table 42, herewith. 



134 REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 

The total of the land and lakes in the Illinois Eiver bottoms outside 
of the districts at present leveed, amounts to 219,760 acres below the 
flood plane of 1844, and 195,000 acres below the flood plane of 1904. The 
total damage claims as stated are equivalent to $20.20 per acre below the 
1844 flood plane and $22.80 per acre below the flood plane of 1904. 

If we exclude the lake beds outside the levee districts, amounting to 
31,600 acres, the total of the damage claims per acre would be $24.00 
and $27.80 per acre for the land below the flood planes of 1844 and 
1904, respectively, or if we exclude from the acreage of land those acres 
for the protection of which levee districts are now projected, the land 
acreage will be reduced by an additional amount of 49,250 acres, and the 
total of the damage claims per acre, respectively, below the 1844 flood 
plane and the flood plane of 1904, would be $32.75 and $39.70 per acre 
of land. 

The report above referred to further states : 

"The additional claims preferred but not yet entered of suit will, 
raise the total to about eight million dollars." 

Eight million dollars in damages will serve to nearly double the 
figures above mentioned. 

With regard to the value of the bottom lands, as has been previously 
stated in this report, those lands leveed along the Illinois Eiver are held 
at from $100 to $150 per acre. The unreclaimed low bottoms are of 
uncertain value. It is said that much of this land is held at about $15 
per acre. Within 25 years past it is probable that all the land in the 
bottoms could have been purchased at from $5 to $10 per acre. 

In the light of all these figures, it would seem that lands of con- 
siderable value to the public might be secured by the State through 
cooperation with the Sanitary District, thus relieving the District from 
at least a part of the heavy damage claims against it, and securing to the 
public permanent and undisputed possession of land well adapted to assist 
in the maintenance of the aquatic life of the river and at the same time to 
form state parks or state preserves that would accrue to the benefit of the 
public generally. 

ACKNOWLEDGMENT. 

This investigation, particularly so far as it relates to natural history, 
would have been impossible except for the services of Prof. Stephen A. 
Forbes of the State Laboratory of Natural History, who from the begin- 
ning of the investigation has advised us on all matters pertaining to his 
department. 

We are further indebted to Mr. L. Iv. Sherman, C. E., Engineer 
Member of the Eivers and Lakes Commission, for valuable criticism and 
data; to Mr. E. E. Eichardson, in charge of the Biological station at 
Havana, for much valuable information regarding the fisheries ; to Prof. 
J. G. Mosier, of the Department of Agriculture, State University, who 
accompanied us upon our inspection trip and from whom we learned much 
relating to the agriculture of the bottom lands. We are further indebted 
to the members of the Eivers and Lakes Commission and the Fish and 
Game Commission, who also accompanied us upon our first inspection 
trip. 



DISCUSSION OE REMEDIES. 135 

The investigations relating to agriculture and the agricultural levee 
districts were conducted by Prof. Leslie A. Waterbury, under our general 
direction and we are indebted to our assistant, Mr. E. T. Reilly, for much 
painstaking work in the intricate hydraulic calculations relating to the 
flood waterways. 

Respectfully submitted, 

John" W. Alvoed. 
Chas. B. Burdick. 

Engineers. 
Chicago, Illinois, July 24, 1915. 



APPENDIX I. 



Chicago, May 5, 1915. 
Hon. Edward F. Dunne, Governor of Illinois, Springfield, III. 

Dear Sir: The undersigned, the^Kivers and Lakes Commission of 
the State of Illinois, respectfully submits the following as their findings 
as to the public character of Thompson Lake, a public body of water 
located in Fulton County, Illinois, and their recommendations in relation 
to the same. 

Section 13 of the law creating the commission and describing its 
powers and duties is as follows : 

It shall be the duty of said commission to make a careful investigation 
of each and every body of water, both river and lake, in the State of Illinois, 
and to ascertain to what extent, if at all, the same have been encroached 
upon by private interests or individuals, and wherever they believe that the 
same have been so encroached upon, to commence appropriate action either 
to recover full compensation for such wrongful encroachment, or to recover 
the use of the same, or of any lands improperly or unlawfully made in con- 
nection with any public river or lake for the use of the people of the State 
of Illinois. The right and authority hereby given and created shall not be 
held to be exclusive or to take from the Attorney General, or any other law 
officer of the State of Illinois, the right to commence suit or action. 

The commission adopted the following resolution: 

Whereas, Thompson Lake, situate in the townships of Waterford and 
Liverpool in the county of Pulton in the State of Illinois, is a body of water 
about six mires in length and from three-quarters of a mile to a mile and a 
half in width, and one of the largest permanent bodies of water in the State 
of Illinois, exclusive of Lake Michigan, and connected with the Illinois River 
by an inlet or outlet so-called; and, 

Whereas, Said lake is claimed to be a navigable body of water and the 
best fish propagating and fish producing body of water in the State, as well 
as a suitable, desirable and popular place of resort for navigation, fishing, 
hunting and the like, and for recreation for the people of the State of 
Illinois, by reason whereof the said lake is of great value to the people of 
the State and a body of water in which the people of the State claim an 
interest; and 

Whereas, It is claimed by the people of the State that the title to the 
bed of said lake is in the State of Illinois in trust for all the people of the 
State ; and 

Whereas, The ownership and title to the bed of said lake is claimed by 
certain individuals, nearly all of whom are nonresidents of the State of 
Illinois, and said individuals are assuming to be entitled to the possession 
and enjoyment of said lake and its facilities for navigation, fishing, hunting 
and the like, and for recreation to the exclusion of the people and public of 
said State; and 

Whereas, It is the duty of the Rivers and Lakes Commission of the 
State of Illinois to protect the people of the State in their use and enjoy- 
ment of all of the public waters of the State and to see to it that the 
same are not encroached upon nor appropriated by private interests or 
individuals; and 

Whereas, Said commission is by law vested with the power and juris- 
diction to investigate conflicting claims with reference to the waters of the 

136 



APPENDIX I. 137 

State and to determine, by public hearings, with reference to any of the bodies 
of water in the State whether, under all the facts and circumstances and the 
law, they are of such a character as to constitute the same public waters of 
the State in which all the people have an interest and to make, enter and 
promulgate such orders in accordance with their findings of facts as a result 
of such hearings; now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the Rivers and Lakes Commission of the State of Illinois, 
pursuant to statute in such case made and provided, investigate the question 
as to the public character of said Thompson Lake, and that to that end a 
public hearing be held by said commission in the city hall in the city of 
Havana in the county of Mason in the State of Illinois, commencing on the 
10th day of March, A. D. 1915, at the hour of 10 o'clock in the forenoon, and 
continuing from day to day or from time to time, according to the orders of 
this commission, as the exigencies of the case may require, and that said 
commission will receive and consider evidence of all facts, history, circum- 
stances and matters bearing upon the question as to the public character of 
said Thompson Lake and the title of the State to the bed thereof and the 
interest of the people of the State of Illinois therein, and will at the close 
of said hearing make such findings and enter such order as the evidence 
submitted and received on said hearing and the matters and things within 
the knowledge of said commission shall require; be it further 

Resolved, That a notice of the time and place of the commencement of 
said hearing and the nature of the same be published for three consecutive 
weeks in some newspaper of general circulation published in the vicinity of 
said Thompson Lake, and, further, that a written notice of the time and 
place of the commencement of said hearing be served personally upon each 
of the persons who claim, either by himself or together with others asso- 
ciated with him, to have title to and ownership in the lands underlying the 
waters of said Thompson Lake, or any part thereof. 

Hearings were held by the commission from time to time at Chicago 
and Havana, Illinois, where witnesses were heard and documentary evi- 
dence considered. The commission * reports and certifies the following: 
Thompson Lake is the greatest, if not the most valuable, body of water 
within the State of Illinois. It is said to be the best spawning ground for 
the feeding and advancement of fish life that there is in the State. It pro- 
duces millions of pounds of fish annually, and sustains a large portion of our 
population, especially the people residing in the cities of Pekin, Havana, and 
Peoria engaged in the fish business. It is steadily enhancing in value to the 
advantage of these people as well as to the State as the provider of a great 
and prosperous industry. 

Thompson Lake was surveyed by the U. S. Government partially in 
1817, partially in 1827, and finally in 1842. It extends in a southerly and 
northerly direction about six miles, being connected with the Illinois River 
by an inlet about two miles south of Liverpool, Illinois, known as the Thomp- 
son Lake slough, and an outlet at the south end of said lake almost opposite 
the city of Havana in the State of Illinois known as the "cut road." From 
the survey and field notes introduced in evidence, and the testimony of expert 
witnesses, as well as the exhibits, it appears that the lines established in 
these surveys constituted what is known as meander lines and positive 
boundary lines of Thompson Lake. It appears from the testimony that as 
far back as the memory of one of the oldest living men in the vicinity of 
Thompson Lake, or Fulton and Mason counties, that it was used for com- 
mercial navigation for many years. Products and freight, such as grain, 
horses, cattle, wood, coal and building material, were shipped from the west 
side of the lake to one of the inlets of the river and thence to Chicago, Peoria, 
Pekin and Havana; also to St. Louis, Missouri. 

Harry S. New, Alexander C. Ayres et al., residents of the state of 
Indiana, claim to be owners of the bed of Thompson Lake and in order to 
quiet their title filed a bill in equity in the Circuit Court of Fulton County 
against one William Shafer and others. The complainants endeavored to 
make the State of Illinois a defendant in this proceeding, but the decree 
entered by the court in Fulton County (a copy of which is in the possession 
of the Attorney General) made no finding as to the rights of the people of 



138 REPORT ON ILLINOIS RIVER. 

the State of Illinois in said lake, but did expressly exempt the State of 
Illinois. The court also made a finding in favor of Harry S. New and others, 
of Indiana, as to their rights and interests in the land over which Thompson 
Lake flows as against the several defendants named in the decree. These 
parties are the incorporators and members of what is known as the "Thomp- 
son Lake Rod and Gun Club," a corporation under the laws of the State of 
Illinois composed entirely of members from the state of Indiana. 

The testimony introduced and copies of documents, deeds, etc., read be- 
fore the commission and placed in our record, disclose that Harry S. New 
et al., did not hold all of the abutting lands adjoining Thompson Lake to 
the meander lines of said lake in fee simple (as he and his cocomplainants 
claim in their bill filed in Pulton County). It appears that they have no 
title in fee to large tracts of this land, as disclosed from the abstract pre- 
pared by us. This abstract will show that no such fee simple title, or in fact 
any title, could lodge in these complaints. The record will further show 
that in every instance the land abutting Thompson Lake was conveyed to the 
water's edge only and, therefore, could not affect the title of what is called 
the bed of Thompson Lake. 

The evidence also discloses that all of the surveys which were made from 
1817 down to the present date contain a sharp marked water line, declaring 
Thompson Lake to be a lake, although it appears from an examination of 
the plats of survey that direct section lines were drawn across this body of 
water as if it had been a survey of land. This has been explained by com- 
petent evidence that the reason for the laying of section corners in the lake 
was because the surveys were made during the winter when there was suffi- 
cient ice to carry the surveying crew and, therefore, it was easier to draw 
the straight lines of the sections across the ice than it would have been by 
calculations had the surveys been made in the summer. In other words, it 
was for the convenience of the surveyors and to their financial advantage 
because at the time they were paid for their work by the mile. 

It appears that the inlet and outlet known as the Thompson Lake slough 
and the "cut road" have existed for all time as a connection between the lake 
and the Illinois River; that the upper inlet, or Thompson Lake slough, has 
always been deep enough and wide enough to permit craft of various kinds, 
including steamboats drawing as much as 4% feet of water, to enter the lake 
from the Illinois River, or enter the Illinois River from the lake, and that 
during low water stages commercial craft could navigate in Thompson Lake 
when they could not do so in parts of the Illinois River. 

We quote the following paragraph from the report of the Submerged 
and Shore Lands Legislative Investigating Committee, page 170, prepared 
under the direction of the Hon. B. M. Chiperfield, chairman: 

"From an investigation it is apparent that this lake has been subject 
to navigation for useful commerce for many years, and if this assumption 
is true, it is without question the property of the State of Illinois." 

We have concluded that should either the county judge or the county 
clerk of Fulton County attempt to convey the land lying under this lake 
within the lines established by United States government surveys of 1817, 
1827 and 1842', that the said deeds or decree affecting this land would be 
void, and our investigation leads us to believe that the lake within these 
lines could not be a part of such lands as could be conveyed under what is 
known as the "Swamp Act" (which was contended in the Fulton County 
Court), because the ownership of the lake at the time was in the State of 
Illinois prior to the creation of what is known as the Swamp Act of 1850 
and prior to the admission of the State of Illinois into the Union of States 
in 1818. It is our conclusion that it is one of the bodies of water which has 
been exempt from the effect of this Swamp Act although (accidentally) 
embraced in the description given by the then United States government 
officials. 

Our investigation of Thompson Lake causes us to believe that the 
attempt of Harry S. New, Alexander C. Ayres et al., the respondents who 
claim title to the bed of this lake, has been from its inception an attempt 
on their part to take from the people of the State of Illinois a large tract 
of valuable public property without compensation and to destroy a great 
industry, namely, the propagation of fish life, for the purpose of draining 



APPENDIX I. 139 

the lake and converting it to their own private ownership and use. These 
parties have sought to prevent the commission, on two different occasions, 
from investigating the public character of this lake. On one occasion, when 
a hearing was set by the commission, they secured an injunction against 
William Shafer and others from appearing before the commission after they 
had been subpoenaed, as provided by law. On another occasion, the day 
before the last hearing at Havana, Illinois, the attorneys representing the 
same parties appeared before his honor Judge Landis in the United States 
District Court and sought to have the commission enjoined from proceeding 
with its investigation of the public character of this lake. Their bill was 
dismissed by the court. 

We, therefore, in consideration of all the facts and circumstances in 
connection with the public character of Thompson Lake, conclude that the 
people of the State of Illinois have great rights and interests in this lake; 
that its integrity as a public body of water should be preserved, and in view 
of the litigation between the parties and the great importance of the same, 
as evidenced by the decree entered, we recommend that the proper officers 
of the State institute promptly the necessary legal proceedings to quiet the 
title of the people of the State of Illinois to the land over which said lake 
flows, or to institute and take such other action as may be deemed to be 
proper to protect the rights and interests of the people of the State of 
Illinois in said lake. 

All parties in interest, Harry S. New, Alexander C. Ayres, and others, 
were notified by subpoena issued by the commission to be present and take 
part in the hearings held at Havana and Chicago, Illinois. 

Maps, plats of surveys, field notes and record of evidence are on file in 
the office of the commission and may be had upon request. 

All of which is respectfully submitted. 

Arthur W. Charles, Chairman; 
LeRoy K. Sherman, Commissioner; 
Thomas J. Healy, Commissioner. 



APPENDIX II. 



REMOVAL OF DAMS IN THE ILLINOIS RIVER. 



(From annual report of 1914.) 

The Illinois Association of Drainage and Levee Districts and similar 
organizations have at various times passed resolutions demanding the 
removal of the four clams in the lower Illinois Eiver. The Sanitary 
District of Chicago has at various times made attempts to have these 
dams removed. Considered solely from the standpoint of drainage and 
land overflow, these dams should he removed at once. 

Section 23 of the act of 1889 to create sanitary districts and to 
remove obstructions in the Des Plain es and Illinois Eiver recites as 
follows : 

"The district * * * shall remove the dams at Henry and Copperas 
Creek in the Illinois River before any water shall be turned into said 
channel. And the canal commissioners, if they shall find at any time that 
an additional supply of water has been added to either of said rivers, by any 
drainage district or districts, to maintain a depth of not less than six feet 
from any dam owned by the State, to and into the first lock of the Illinois 
and Michigan Canal at LaSalle without the aid of any such dam, at low 
water, then it shall be the duty of said canal commissioners to cause such 
dam or dams to be removed." 

After the attempt by the Sanitary District to remove these dams the 
Supreme Court held (Vol. 184, 111., page 157) that the clause in section 
23 of the Sanitary District Act was not mandatory but permissive, and 
that the clams could not be removed until an equivalent navigable depth 
is available without the aid of the dams. The Eivers and Lakes Commis- 
sion has made computations and investigated the flow records and profile 
of the Illinois Eiver, and finds that if the pending litigation of the Sani- 
tary District in the Federal courts shall limit the flow of the Chicago 
Drainage Canal to 4,167 cubic feet per second, and, furthermore, if no 
dredging or channel improvement is undertaken, the removal of the four 
dams in the Illinois Eiver will decrease the depth of water to much less 
than 6 feet in numerous places to the great detriment of navigation. It 
would be deplorable to the State of Illinois to have the flow limited to 
4,167 cubic feet per second, but at the present time the fact must be met 
that such a condition may possibly exist. We, therefore, do not advocate 
the unconditional removal of these dams at the present time. 

The next question is, can the dams now be removed providing com- 
pensating channel improvements be made? On page 18 of a Eeport by 
a Board of Officers of the Corps of Engineers of the U. S. Army upon a 
navigable waterway through the Illinois Eiver, Document 263, 59th Con- 
gress, First Session, signed by Col. Ernst, Lieut. Col. Bixby and Major 
Casey, the following statement is made : 

140 



APPENDIX II. 141 

"The additional flow provided by the Chicago Drainage Canal is now 
4,200 cubic feet per second. It will allow the removal of the present locks 
and dams, and it makes practicable the maintenance of an open channel 
considerably deeper than the seven feet now provided by these structures." 

Our computations are in accord with this statement, but we find that 
considerable dredging and channel regulation work will be required to 
accomplish the above results. The Hirers and Lakes Commission recom- 
mends and advises as follows: 

1. The four State and Federal dams in the Illinois River between Utica 
and the Mississippi River should be removed, subject to the provision that 
the dredging and channel improvement necessary to secure a minimum 
depth of 7 feet is insured. 

2. The Sanitary District of Chicago should be permitted to remove the 
Henry and Copperas Creek dams, subject to specific stipulations as to dredg- 
ing regulations by the State through the Rivers and Lakes Commission, or 
other authorized State agency. 

3. The Federal appropriation of $1,000,000 for the improvement of the 
Illinois River (section 1 of the Rivers and Harbors Act, approved June 5, 
1910, is now legally available and should be appropriated at once to dredge 
the lower , Illinois River so that the government dams at La Grange and \ 
Kampsville may be removed and a navigable depth of 8 feet be secured 
without such structures. 



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